Mortal Retribution
by teamLNMM
Summary: Sequel to "Bonding Experience", set over two years later. A dark shadow of the past comes back to shroud Mello again, after so many years. Mello is determined to ensure that his family will not end up like his first.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

What am I waiting for? This is the opportunity I've been waiting for… for the greater part of my life! He's in there; I know he is… but… why am I so hesitant? I thought that, if I were to ever get this chance, I would undoubtedly be ready to annihilate him. He broke me, so shouldn't I break him? Shouldn't I destroy him the way he destroyed _them_?

On the surface, my expression is cold and steady, but it's like my stomach has a giant knot constricting within me the longer I sit here. I can hear and feel my own heartbeat rapidly pounding, as if the very organ's cavity is inside both of my ears instead of my chest. Is it because I'm nervous… or is my conscience trying to tell me otherwise—that I shouldn't take this matter into my own hands… Maybe it's both.

As I think back to that night, once again, my heart fills with passionate hatred and hostility. If I walk away now, that man will never truly pay for what he did to me… did to them… The act he's so recently committed, I can't even think about without feeling the most ultimate form of disgust… Although, if I fail this task… What will my father and brothers do? What will they think? Now that I think about it, what could they be thinking right now? They have to know I'm missing, by now… I do remember that promise I made, to Near. I want to keep it. I really do, but…

I take a deep breath, as I stand up and begin to walk forward. I'm fully aware of the danger of putting myself in front of this psychotic man, but I don't care. This is a personal, and very possible, suicide mission. A second ago, I had mixed feelings of even doing this, but I'm sure now… and I'm ready to except the consequences of whatever will happen. I'm being selfish, in a way, but I can't help this action. This is for them, too. I can't forget that if I just turn back, they'll all be… No, _I_ would rather die first.

I hope he'll forgive me, for this… I hope they all will.


	2. Numerous Events

**Here it is, the very first chapter of my sequel to "Bonding Experience". I have been working on this for a long time, and I hope, from the prologue I have already posted, that it sounds interesting. I will not say anything about what will happen in future context, and rather allow you all (who choose to read this) find out what leads up to that prologue. One of my intentions for this story is for it to build suspensefully, and I believe I have done well with that.**

**Without any further delay, I present this first chapter.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note", or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Numerous Events**

* * *

"Unhand her! Step over here, and you shall face the wrath of me, Mario Matt!"

Mario Matt had traveled across treacherous lands, and fought numerous mushroom warriors, to find his beloved Princess Misa trapped within the clutches of his most wicked enemy—Bowser Light… again. He was always trying to steal her away from Mario Matt and, to be frank, it was getting old.

The half human, half beast hybrid, in front of him, laughed with mockery. "You must be joking! Just _how_ do you think you'll beat me?" the fiend began to cackle in amusement and stepped closer towards the young hero. "You have nothing to defend yourself this time."

The lovely Princess Misa, who was trembling behind Bowser Light, was hoping that her darling Mario Matt could save her.

Matt smirked, completely confident in the fact that he would be the victorious one—again—today. "I have something better to use against you this time, Light… I know your secret."

The beastly creature gasped. "What, no, but… That's _impossible_!"

"Oh, but it isn't," the brunette replied. "I know your most forbidden secret; the secret of who you really are… your real name."

"No, stop!" he cried, "Don't say it out loud!"

"Your real name," Matt continued anyway," is really "Yagami"… which spelled backwards is-"

"Stop, _please_, I'll do anything!"

"Release Princess Misa at once," the overall clad hero commanded. "In exchange, I will not say your forbidden secret."

"Deal!"

With that, Bowser Light ran away. He had not hesitated to retreat after that, what could have been an, embarrassing ordeal.

"Mattie!" Princess Misa squealed, rushing forward and jumping into her beloved's arms. "You're my hero! I love you!"

"Aw, Misa, I love you too," Matt told her, leaning into the young woman's beautiful face. "Will you honor me with a kiss?"

The Princess giggled coyly. "Oh, yes, I will."

Matt closed his eyes, waiting for her soft lips to touch his own. "Then kiss me. Kiss me, Misa."

"Matt, let go of me!"

Matt, whose eyes were still closed, pulled the Princess even closer towards him, feeling a little confused. "But you said you would honor me with one."

"Matt! Matt, wake up!"

"I'm awake and ready for your affectionate kiss, my love!"

"Matt, I-_Stop_! Get away from my face!"

Something snapped. All of a sudden, Matt wasn't in a castle with his beloved Princess Misa anymore… Instead, he had awoken to his younger brother's face.

"_Near_?" Matt also found that, while he was dreaming, he had grabbed Near's left arm, along with his waist, and had dragged him onto his bed with him. Their noses were only a few inches apart.

"Matt…" Near looked rather irritated and startled, "Let me go… _now_."

Matt immediately shoved the white haired boy away from him, tossing him carelessly to the floor.

"How, what, when, why… Why, God, _why_?" Matt whined, covering his face in humiliation. "Near… you're not Misa! Why'd you interrupt my dream? It was getting good!"

"Matt," Near grunted, pushing himself off of the room's floor, "it was just another of your 'Misa dreams'. It was an illusion. There's no reason to be upset."

"Oh, yes, there is! It was a _darn_ good illusion!" Matt snapped back. "She was gonna kiss me!"

"Matt, you were about to…!" Near couldn't finish his sentence. That was such a… _revolting_ thought.

Matt sat up in his bed, beginning to laugh to himself. "That would've been _so_ awkward!"

Near blankly stared up at his older brother. "Matt, I believe the word 'awkward' doesn't even begin to cover that."

"Yeah…" the brunette shook his head and let out a shaky sigh. "Thank God no one saw that; it would've been even more embarrassing."

"Speak for yourself," a deep voice sounded from behind them. "That was embarrassing to watch."

Both Matt and Near looked behind them to see Mello, their eldest brother, smirking at them from the doorway.

"… Great, I'll never live this down," Matt said, slamming back onto his mattress.

Near got off of the floor and briefly dusted himself off. "You think?"

Mello shook his head, snickering to himself, and walked in. "Dude, what else goes on in those dreams of yours? That was-"

"And so it begins," Matt interrupted, pulling his pillow out from underneath his head and over his face. _Why are they even _here_,_ _anyway?_

"Well, anyways," the brunette heard Mello say, "Near and I came by to wake you up and tell you that L got himself involved in another case today, right here in L.A. As usual, we'll also be a part of solving it."

_Oh, that's it?_ Matt took his pillow away from his face, and seated himself upright again. "Okay, what's the case?"

"There was a terrible robbery that occurred last night at the Los Angeles National Bank," Near reported. "The robber broke into the bank, grabbed around four-hundred-thousand dollars, and shot two security guards on his way out."

"Whoa… that's not good," Matt replied.

"Yeah," Mello seconded, "but, thankfully, those people are fine. Unfortunately, the robber was wearing a mask, so the two guards can't tell us anything about his physical features."

Matt nodded in understanding. "I wonder if that robber is hiding out here in L.A. somewhere or has already gotten on a plane. Heck, he could've just driven away for all we know."

"Those are very true possibilities, but we can try our best, as always," Near said. "L may have already done this, but, unless he hasn't, we should call every other bank in L.A. and inform them to keep a close eye out for our mystery robber."

Mello nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, Near" Matt said. "Let's go and see what else L has to say about this case."

* * *

It was about 9:30 in the morning. L, the world's best and greatest detective, was sitting in the glow of his illuminated computer screens—in the temporary apartment he and the boys were residing in. These computers were not as large as the ones he had used in Japan, for the Kira Investigation, but they were still quick and up to date.

Other than that, L was curious about his latest case. Just as he and his boys were about to leave for England—to see Watari, who was currently visiting his long time friend, Roger, at the Wammy Orphanage—L happened to hear about the news of an uncaptured, unseen thief and murderer.

It had not been long since he had heard about this case, but, after receiving a file from one of L.A.'s leading investigation teams, L was more than determined to figure out who the culprit was. This unknown man was, more than likely, responsible for another burglary, almost one week ago. One-hundred-thousand dollars was forcibly taken at the Mid-Cities National Bank—located in Bellflower, California. The same person, upon leaving, managed to murder seven people and wound several others. An additional two people were shot, upon the approach of the bank. Only one out of the two people survived and could not describe the assailant, for he was wearing a black, head-covered mask.

If this man continued this streak of thievery and murder, it would surely get out of hand.

All of a sudden, L could hear the door behind him open and he felt a short-lasting breeze of cool air sweep into the room.

"Hey, L, we got him," L could hear Mello's distinctive voice sound from behind him

"Ah, good morning, Matt," L greeted his second eldest son. He got out of the chair he was crouching in, and walked over to them. "I'm sure Mello and Near have already informed you of last night's events."

"Yeah, they did," Matt told him.

The great detective nodded. "Good and I have already taken the liberty of informing every other bank, in L.A., to keep a lookout for the thief."

"One step ahead," Mello chuckled under his breath, allowing for his brothers to hear him.

_I'm glad he's already done that,_ Near thought. _His action will, perhaps, give the criminal some trouble._

"Whether our unknown suspect is planning another robbery, I don't know that for sure," L continued. "There really isn't a way to determine if he has already disappeared, at this moment, but we can think of possible scenarios on what he could do next… There are no clues left behind on either case."

"No clues… on either case?" Near questioned. "When did you get a report of another crime and both scenes? You didn't say anything about that to me or Mello."

"I wanted to discuss this subject matter with all three of you," L explained. "It's an assumption, among the L.A. police, but some, and myself, agree that this is the same person for both crimes. We do not know his name, face, or identity, but his skills are impeccable."

Mello raised a brow. "As in…?"

"I'm getting to that," L assured him. "I believe this man, who committed last night's crime, was involved in the thievery of one-hundred-thousand dollars at Mid-Cities National Bank, in Bellflower, California. Not only that, but he shot numerous people, at the same place, and killed eight in total."

Mello's eyes narrowed a little, thinking about how lowly this criminal was.

Near's face was still held together, but his thoughts were the same as Mello's.

Matt glanced to the floor for a moment, than back at his father. He always felt badly for victims in any case. All of those people had to have had people that cared for them, and it wasn't the victim's choice of leaving those people behind.

"This seems like the same person, to me," Near spoke up, agreeing with L. "It's the same pattern."

"Exactly," L responded. "It's quite amazing, really; this anonymous robber left no trace of evidence behind… It's obvious that he thought everything through before committing these crimes."

"No shoe prints, finger prints, fibers, or hair was collected?" Mello asked. "Was there even a surveillance shot of the guy? He _had_ to have been caught on camera for the first robbery. Was there no recording that shows him sneaking around in the most recent one?"

L shook his head. "No, nothing. According to the police assigned to the first case, the man successfully managed to shoot down all of the security cameras. Every camera was destroyed."

"That's new," Matt said aloud, slightly squinting his eyes in thought. "He must have sniping skills."

L nodded and began to think aloud. "It's strange; I have never once encountered a case in which the criminal was able to escape being caught and not leave a single bit of physical, or visual, evidence following the events. The only things that even reveal he was at both banks, at all, is the fact that there was a great deal of money stolen, along with wounded and murdered people left behind… That's it."

"Well… if he's that skilled, he'll probably try again," Mello assumed.

"That's what I was just thinking, too," said Near. "You're right, Mello. It's a good and very possible theory."

Matt nodded once, agreeing with them. "If he does, he might not count on more eyes watching him, wherever he might decide to go next."

"Exactly," L stated. "Now that this is all being said aloud, I feel even more confident with the theory that the robber is still residing here in L.A. somewhere," the hunched man turned around and walked back to his chair, crouching into it once again. "Thank you, boys, I enjoyed hearing your insights."

The cell phone in L's pocket suddenly began to vibrate and ring its simple, familiar tune.

"Oh, excuse me boys, give me a moment," L said, as he took out his phone and answered it, holding the communication device awkwardly between his thumb and index finger. "Yes? … Oh, it's just you, Misa."

Matt's heart began to pound a little faster. _Misa! She's on the phone! _

Near and Mello couldn't help but glance over at Matt when L had said that it was Misa on the other end of his phone. They could both see the excitement in Matt's eyes; their brother didn't have to say anything to determine that he was with words.

"Hey," Mello nudged Near's arm, getting his attention, "how long do you think it'll take for Matt to ask L to hand him the phone?"

Near leaned closer over to Mello. "Right about-"

"Hey, L, can I talk to her too?" Matt abruptly asked, his voice slightly uneven. "I, well, you know I haven't spoken to her in awhile."

"… Now," Near finished, rolling his eyes.

Mello snorted quietly in amusement. _Matt, seriously, that's just sad._

"She wants to tell us something," L told the brunette. "I'll put it on speaker, so she can tell us. 'It simply _can't _wait','" he sarcastically quoted the blonde girl.

"Uh, I can hear you, Ryuzaki!" Misa's shrill voice could be heard from the phone's speaker.

L quietly mimicked the girl, by exaggeratingly mouthing her comment, as he turned his cell on speaker.

"What's this news that you just _couldn't _wait to tell us?" Mello asked.

"Oh, _hi_, Marsh Mello!" Misa proclaimed loudly over the speaker.

Matt was resisting the urge to laugh out loud at the nickname Misa had chosen for Mello. She had basically decided, a long time ago, that that would be his nickname for only her to call him… That never, exactly, stopped Light from using the nickname to make fun of him, though.

Mello shot a death glare at the phone. He looked as if he wanted to break the little device into pieces, but gruffly and bluntly replied, "Hi," instead.

"Haha, you're always so serious!" Misa giggled. "Where's Mattie and Kitty? I miss all of you so much!"

Matt and Mello both snickered at the sound of Misa's 'special' nickname for Near. Matt was lucky that his nickname was so simple, while Mello and Near's were more embarrassing… especially Near's. Misa had given Near that particular nickname because of how soft his hair is. Ever since she had first touched his hair—when Near was in the hospital, after the waterfall incident—Misa just couldn't help but fawn over how much she adored his white, wavy locks.

"Oh, Kitty is right _here_, Misa," Mello directly teased his brother, settling his hand on top of Near's head and stroking his hair—as if he were a cat.

Near shook off Mello's hand, and crossed his arms in mild discomfort. _Of all of the possible nicknames in the world… it just _had_ to be something like that._

"Near, _hi_!" Misa enthusiastically piped up again.

"… Hello, Misa," Near expressionlessly replied. _That chipper attitude of hers can be like that of a droning bee. _

"Hi!" Misa repeated. "You too, Mattie! Aw, I've just missed you guys so much!"

"I miss you the most, Misa!" Matt spoke up.

"Why am I not surprised?" Mello mumbled, allowing Near to hear him.

"_Aw_, how sweet!" Misa cooed over the speaker. "You're so cute!"

"Ugh," Mello quietly sighed. "She's grating on my nerves."

Near nodded, agreeing with his brother.

"Misa, _please_, just tell us what you need to tell us already," L stepped into the conversation. He desperately wanted her to get on with it.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ryuzaki," the perky girl apologized. "I'm just excited, is all. I'll go ahead and say it," she took a brief, deep breath and let it back out, "Okay, you all know how Light and I have still been dating for the past two years?"

"Uh, huh," L mumbled, hoping that she would hang up soon. _How on earth does Light even manage the relationship at all?_

"Let me guess, you both broke up, right?" Matt asked. He was, at least, hoping that was the case.

Misa giggled lightly in response. "No, silly, that wasn't it… Light proposed to me! He _proposed_!"

Mello, Near, and L's eyes widened, as they all quickly looked at Matt… His eyes were completely open, but not wide and his face was entirely composed—as if the news had not even fazed him.

_Ouch,_ Mello thought to himself, wincing slightly.

"The wedding will be on Valentine's Day, next year!" Misa happily continued. "Let's see, today is October fifth, right? Well, it is over here, anyways, but I want you all to be there!"

"I don't know, Misa-"

"Aw, please, Ryuzaki? _Please_?"

L could practically see the 'puppy dog' eyes Misa was portraying on the other end of the phone. Usually, he would have said 'no' and ended the conversation, but… he did have some cursed, soft spot for her… Why was that?

L looked at the boys and then at the phone again. "All right, if our schedule allows us to, we'll be there, Misa."

"Yay!" Misa shouted. "I'm so happy! I'll fill you all in on future details. Well, I have to go now, but I can't wait to see you all again. I miss seeing all of your faces. Well, love you guys, bye!"

The phone's speaker then clicked off. L put his phone on the table behind him, and he slowly began to rub his temples in small, circular motions. _I cannot believe I just agreed to that. _

"I can't believe it… Light actually wants to spend the rest of his life with Misa?" Mello questioned aloud. "I honestly didn't even know if those two were still a couple."

Near shrugged. "Well, they were the last time we saw them. It's been awhile, but, apparently, they seemed to have gotten closer…"

"Yeah, but I never would've guessed that Light would actually stay with her, for over two years, and than ask her to marry him," Mello added. "Their personalities are so completely opposite!"

"Very true," Near agreed. "I guess that saying "opposites attract" makes sense after all."

"Well, it is our case too, in a way," Mello pointed out. "I never thought I would _not_ hate you… at all."

"… You're right, that's true," Near replied.

"I won't allow that to happen!" Matt abruptly cut off his conversing brothers, shocking them a bit. "I still have a few months to convince her otherwise."

Mello sighed and took a step closer towards the brunette. "Matt… give it up. She's getting married to Light. Besides, you're way younger than her. It wouldn't work."

Matt frowned at his older brother. "That's BS, man. So what if I'm sixteen and she's twenty-one? It could work."

Near shook his head. "Matt, I believe you're in denial."

Mello nodded, agreeing with Near. "You'll get over it. Besides, wouldn't you rather be her friend instead?"

"… What kind of question is _that_?" Matt retorted. "Ugh… Never mind, I'm going back to bed." The brunette then turned around and trudged out of the room, his shoulders slumped.

"… He's crushed over a crush," Mello confirmed, slightly laughing under his breath. "Well, I guess it's understandable enough."

"You don't suppose he'll allow for this letdown to affect his health, do you?" Near asked.

"Nah, Matt bounces back quickly," Mello told him. "He's upset now, but, after he thinks about it for awhile, he'll be fine."

"What about L?" Near asked, gesturing to the awkwardly arched detective sitting behind them. "He looks… apprehensive?"

Mello shrugged. "Maybe he's racking his brain about our new case. Come on, let's eat something. Are you hungry?"

"… Yes, a little bit."

"Okay then," Mello replied, putting an arm around Near's shoulders and walking him out of the room. "We'll check on Matt later. Let us know if there's anything else about our mystery guy, L," Mello called back, as he and Near exited the room.

L hunched over in his chair even more, and sighed to himself. "I investigate some of the most hardened criminals in the world… and, yet, I can't handle the idea of having to wear a suit? I know Misa's going to make me wear one, I just _know_ it…"

He slowly turned his chair back around to face the computers' screens. _Oh, well, it's not worth worrying about for now. At the moment, I need to focus on this mysterious new thief and murderer._

L's phone suddenly began to go off again. He reached around, picked it up, and answered it—holding it up in his odd fashion, for a second time. "Yes?"

"Hi, Ryuzaki, it's me again."

L sighed inwardly at this. "What is it _now_, Misa? I'm very busy, you know."

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Misa apologized to the great detective, "but I forgot to tell you something really important."

L humored her with a half-hearted "Yes", as he waited to hear her second news. _She better not take too long._

"It concerns a decision of Light's, for our wedding. He said he wanted this to happen no matter what, so I'm just going to tell you."

"… Uh, huh," L was wondering why she just wouldn't say it.

"Light wants you to be his best man, and nobody else," Misa happily answered.

L's large pupils incredulously shrunk. "_Huh_?"

Misa giggled in excitement. "Tootles!"

"Hold on, wait, Misa!"

It was too late; Misa had already ended the connection. L tried to reach her again, through his own phone, but the line wasn't working. She had obviously turned off her phone completely.

L sat there, staring at his cell phone in disbelief. _Light wants me to be his… best man? Why me? Never mind that, Misa's going to make me wear a suit, now, for sure!_ He sat there, pouting about the idea of Misa 'dolling' him up, but, after a moment, L allowed for a tiny smile to sneak into his features. _I guess this means…Light really does think of me as a good friend. _

* * *

**Poor Matt and L (about the suit, not the friendship, of course), huh?**

**What are the thoughts you readers have for this first chapter? I hope they are/were good. I loved writing this out, as a starter chapter, and I hope you all like it!**

**Thank you, for reading.**


	3. Decade

**I was going to post this chapter much sooner, but, you know, work in college comes first. It has been hectic lately, but I am glad that there are people who want to read this. I have been constructing this story for a long time, now, and the reviews and statistics I see, for it, make me feel good. I thank you all, for it!**

**All I will say about this chapter is that it will lead to something very dark, very soon...**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Decade**

* * *

After four days had passed, another robbery occurred. However, the target was not a bank this time, but a museum (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) instead. Once again, the mysterious person successfully escaped. The thief had, unfortunately and surprisingly, been able to snatch the painting known as "The Assumption of the Virgin" right out of its frame.

The security guard on shift that night claimed to have walked by that very painting twice. According to that guard, the painting was in its place and secure as always. About an hour later, when he was to pass it again, the guard found that the painting had completely vanished.

After the police, and L, had been contacted about this theft, L was automatically certain that this art thief was the same person who had broken into the Los Angeles National Bank a few days earlier. L felt that the robber/murderer had, obviously and purposely, thrown off the investigation unit, so that he could get away with a different crime in a different location.

_My sons and I are currently residing here, in Wilshire Boulevard… The museum, our thief broke into, is located here as well… We may, very well, cross paths with him._

The reason why L thought that was simply because there were so many different, optional places for the unnamed thief to steal from, and to hide at, in Wilshire Boulevard… He felt that, if they were to linger here long enough, they would catch their suspect.

* * *

"Can you believe it, Near? That guy got away again," Matt said, shaking his head as he and his younger brother watched his room's small television. L had already told them, and Mello, that he thought it was the same person who had broken into both of the banks. In truth, all three believed that was the case, even before the great detective had told them his own thoughts. "Then again, it isn't so surprising. If he could get away with it before, he could certainly do it again. That's what Mello said, anyway."

"Yes, that's right, but… where is Mello?" Near suddenly asked. "We haven't seen him since early this morning."

Matt shrugged, situating himself on his bed's mattress a bit more comfortably. "I don't know. You and I have both noticed how he's gotten kinda quiet lately. I mean, we all do sometimes, but maybe he's just thinking about something."

"That's true," Near responded. "You were awfully quiet the other day. After Misa called us about-"

"_Shush_!" The brunette cut him off, thrusting his hand in front of the younger boy's face. "I'm over it. It's fine. Don't talk about it anymore."

Near couldn't help but smirk at Matt's slightly reddened face and behavior. He simply _had_ to tease him a little more. "You don't seem to be over it, to me."

Matt slowly turned his face to Near's. He was tensely biting his lower lip, and his eyes were slanted, revealing that he was unamused.

Near only continued to smile in his smug enjoyment. "Are you getting angry, Matt?"

Matt silently nodded, with pursed lips, and grabbed a pillow from behind him.

Near knew what was to happen next and attempted to move, but Matt quickly prevented his brother's escape by seizing his wrist and dragged him back down onto the mattress. Matt then hopped up onto the floor, and raised the pillow over his head.

"Matt, are you sure that resorting to violence is the answer here?" Near coolly questioned. He was already used to Matt and Mello's little 'pillow fights'. Even though they were all professional detectives, those two always managed to drop the more serious part of their personalities, and remind Near that they all deserved to "have a little fun and loosen up, every once in awhile".

Matt acted as if he were really thinking about the question for a moment, before he replied with a big, "Yep!" and smacked the pillow down upon Near. To Matt's surprise, Near suddenly grabbed the pillow and hugged it closely to his own body. This action thwarted Matt's pillow fighting to stop.

"Hey, give that back!" Matt grunted, as he tried to pull the pillow out of Near's grasp. _Dang, I didn't know this kid was so strong! _Then, he remembered that this was the same boy who had survived falling from an eight-hundred foot waterfall. _...Well, duh!_

Near lightly smiled and shook his head, 'No'.

Matt then let out an amused snicker. "Okay, then... Plan B."

"What?"

Before Near could do anything else, Matt spun around and sat on top of the younger boy's chest. Near struggled to push him off for a second, but soon realized that Matt wasn't going anywhere… Great.

"Matt… please get off of me," Near asked civilly. "You're heavy."

The older boy childishly shook his head and replied, "Nope."

"Come on, Matt, that's a bit undignified," Near said, trying another attempt of pushing Matt off of him. "Really, this is uncomfortable."

"I know, that's why I'm not moving," Matt replied, grinning triumphantly.

While Matt was saying that, Near wrapped both of his arms around Matt's waist and forced him off of his torso. As he fell to the floor, Matt grabbed Near's shirt collar, so that the he would follow him on the way down. Matt fell flat on his tailbone, echoing a small 'thud', while Near inelegantly tumbled over the brunette and into his lap.

All of a sudden, the door to Matt's room opened, and L walked in. His large, round eyes studied the two boys sprawled out on the floor. "If I may ask, _what_ are the two of you doing?"

"N-Near started it," Matt blamed his younger brother, laughing and pointing down at him. It was always so much fun to mess around with him, the youngest sibling.

Near only shrugged, not uttering a word. _And _I'm_ referred to as being the childish one? Honestly, Matt…_

L raised a brow at what he was seeing. "Uh, huh… I'm just going to ignore this, and tell the both of you why I'm here."

Matt allowed for Near to get off him, before he stood up. "Okay, what is it?"

"I have just been informed that the museum's painting was not the only article stolen," L told them. "There were also two, Egyptian, golden artifacts that were taken."

"That's a crafty guy," Matt mumbled aloud. "And there was still no video feed of anything? Nothing at all?"

L shook his head. "No, all of the surveillance cameras were checked, and the result is the same as the incident at the second bank robbery. The thief was able to deactivate or avoid every camera… Where's Mello?" the detective suddenly asked. "He needs to be updated on this, as well."

"To be honest, we're not so sure," Near answered him. "His cell phone is here, so we can't exactly contact him… Perhaps, he'll return soon."

* * *

_It's been ten years exactly… October 9th, 2006…Today marks the date of my parents' murders._

Mello had been feeling uneasy for the past two days, knowing that this dreaded anniversary was approaching. When the day finally arrived, he rode out on his motorcycle to the nearest seaside. He just wanted to get away for a few hours and reflect on the memory of his parents.

It was mid-afternoon at this point, and not many people were there—at the shore he had stopped at. Mello parked his motorcycle, walked down a few, small, wooden stairs, and stepped out onto the beach's fawn colored sand. He looked up at the sky's clouded, yet welcoming, appearance, closed his eyes, and inhaled a deep breath of the fresh air around him.

This beach was, indeed, a nice looking one, and very reminiscent for Mello. He could remember the short vacation he and his parents had taken when he was younger… It was also the very year they were both murdered.

Mello blinked harshly and briefly shook his head, blocking out the trauma of that night's events, and thought back to the pleasant memory of his vacation with them. He could remember his mother's long, blonde hair blowing gracefully around her gentle face and back, as she stood on that beach's shore. The waves delicately tumbled and broke around her lower calves.

His father had taken a much younger Mello by the hand and followed her out into the sea's crisp waves. He could remember watching the sun beginning to set that evening, after a day of play. He remembered how tired he was, when his father carried his small body within his strong arms, holding him closely to his chest. He could remember being settled into the back of their family car, and his mother kissing him on the forehead before he fell into a peaceful sleep… Mello couldn't help but smile to himself, as he replayed the images of that memory within his mind.

"Dad, hurry up! Mom's already beat us!"

Mello snapped back into the present, turning his head to where the childish voice was coming from. To his left, a little boy was running alongside his father. His blue eyes followed the two, as they met up with a pretty woman standing within the ocean's waves.

Mello then, unintentionally, pictured a younger version of himself and his parents in this family's place… He looked away, frowning to himself. _Maybe I should just go, now._

"Hey, mister?"

Mello tensed slightly, at the unexpected voice, and looked down on his left side to see a young, black haired boy standing beside him. The little boy looked seven to eight years old, and his large, green eyes were round with curiosity.

"Um… Yeah?" Mello dryly responded. He didn't really know what else to say.

"You look _cool_," the boy told him, his eyes scanning over Mello's leather pants, gloves, and vest.

Mello was a bit surprised that some kid had just walked up to him to compliment his attire. He hadn't really counted on that.

"Uh, thanks," the blond replied, turning to the young boy a bit more.

"Do you ride a motorcycle?" the boy asked.

"I do."

The boy's mouth dropped slightly. "That's _so_ awesome! My dad used to ride a motorcycle too, but my mom made him sell it," his facial expression scrunched up for a moment. "She said it was "too dangerous"… What's your name?"

Mello was amused by this kid's energy. This boy was sort of like him when he was a kid: always asking questions, always excited, and radiated a genuine innocence. "Well… my brothers call me Mello."

"Mello… That's the coolest nickname I've ever heard! Why do they call you that?"

To be honest, Mello couldn't remember why. When he first began his stay at Wammy's, he had just picked that alias name on a whim. He, himself, thought it sounded like a cool and memorable nickname to go by.

To answer the little boy's question, Mello only shrugged.

The kid laughed for a second. "Well, Mello, my name's Shawn. I sure do wish I could ride a motorcycle too, but, since my mom sold dad's, I doubt she'd ever let _me_ get one. "

Mello smiled and nodded, listening to the boy.

"Shawn, we have to go now!" A woman, his mother, was calling to the boy a few yards away. Her short, dark brown hair was styled into a pixie cut, and she was wearing a simple, blue t-shirt and jeans. In one arm, she cradled a baby. Her other arm was snaked around the arm of a tall man beside her. Mello presumed that he was Shawn's father.

"Aw, _now_?" Shawn called back.

"Sorry, but we can't be late for dinner. You know that grandma and grandpa are waiting for us, and I'm sure that young man, right there, is busy."

Mello turned to her, and shook his head. "No, it's fine, ma'am! You're son's a good kid."

The woman smiled at Mello, and nodded in agreement. "Thank you, but, Shawn, we really _do_ have to go."

Shawn nodded, feeling disappointed that he couldn't stay longer. "I wish I could talk to you more… I wish I could bring you to show and tell."

Mello laughed half-heartedly and reached forward to ruffle the kid's hair a bit. "You're a cool, little guy. Who knows, maybe you'll see me again."

Shawn smiled widely. "Will you come back here tomorrow? I know I'll be here in the early afternoon."

This boy seemed to have attached himself to the blond rather quickly, but, in all honesty, Mello didn't mind. He truly liked this kid. "Well… How about this? If I'm able to, I'll come around to see you again tomorrow. My brothers and I are busy people, but I'll try to make time."

"Awesome!" Shawn exclaimed. "Will your brothers come, too? I bet they're cool, like you."

Mello shrugged. "Maybe, if they're able too. We'll see how it all pans out."

"Okay," Shawn responded, as he began to run off. He turned around to face Mello one more time, and said, "I hope get to see you again!" before officially leaving.

Mello turned around to walk up the wooden stairs, leading to the parking lot. _That's a pretty neat kid. He's not annoying, and has a good spirit about him…I can just hear Matt now, '_Who knew you were so good with kids, Mels_? _You're even softer than I thought!_' Whatever…Heh, I think Shawn would get a kick out of Matt and Near, if I could get them down here._

As Mello was approaching his motorcycle, a black haired, slim, older man, was wordlessly passing him from the front. The taller man was wearing sunglasses, a white shirt, long kakis, and sported a thin line of grey through the front of his semi-long hair. The man glanced at Mello, and then stopped walking altogether.

This, also, made Mello stop in his tracks. The man stood there for a moment, just looking at Mello. His unseen eyes and quietness unnerved the blond a little, but, soon enough, the man nodded once and walked away.

That man looked innocent enough… but that silent stare of his gave Mello a very strong, uncomfortable, nostalgic feeling. _I don't know what that guy's problem is, but I should go back to the apartment now. I left my cell behind, and didn't even bother to tell any of them where I was going…I wonder if there's any more news on that criminal._

* * *

The unnamed man in shades silently watched as the leather clad, blond haired teenager zoomed away on his motorcycle. He _knew_ that kid, he just knew he did… That boy's eyes were just far too familiar to not be whom he was thinking of. He wouldn't forget eyes like that… He looked just like _her_, it had to be him! He really didn't expect to ever see that particular kid again, but if it truly _was_ him… then, perhaps, they were eventually meant to clash.

_This will be… _so_ much fun._

* * *

**So, who is willing to bet on who the man in shades is? The clear answer is obviously not good... This silent encounter will result in utter chaos, between Mello and his past. **

**I have said, before, that I would not add an OC without a necessary reason, and my reasons for creating Shawn will result in large significance. I do love the little guy, and his role is going to add something very needed to this story. I had not even realized what I had done, in creating him, until I had nearly finished this chapter.**

**I hope this was enjoyable to everyone who read it. **

**Thank you, for reading.**


	4. A Silent Theory and War

**Even though I did not receive many reviews on the last chapter, I can still see that there are people who are reading this story, through statistics. I'm glad that there are people reading this, regardless, and I thank you readers for choosing to read this. I do hope it is being enjoyed.**

**I won't say much, but I will say that it will not take long for this story to become darker, so I wanted to add a more humorous chapter to balance out the seriousness of what will soon be posted. This chapter is not a filler; it is relevant to the plot.**

**Well, that is all. Here is Chapter 3.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**A Silent Theory and War**

* * *

"Hey guys, I'm back!" Mello shouted, as he walked through his family's temporary apartment's door. He had been gone for a majority of the day, and it was now mid-afternoon.

"It's about time!" Matt's faded yell soared throughout the apartment.

Mello rolled his eyes at the brunette's comment. Soon enough, he could hear L calling for him to come into the computer room with him, along with Matt and Near.

As Mello made his way towards the back of the apartment, he thought_, L must finally have more information on that crook._

"You've been gone for awhile," L said, once Mello had entered the fully occupied room. "Is everything all right? You've been a little different for the past few days."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mello answered, looking his father directly in the eyes. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Near and Matt quickly glanced at one another, both knowing that Mello was stretching the truth. They were sure L could tell too, but they knew he wouldn't say it aloud.

L silently stared at him for a moment and then softened his gaze, smiling slightly. "All right then. Just be sure to take your cell phone with you whenever you leave the premises."

"Got it," Mello mumbled his response. "Just so you know, I can-"

"Take care of yourself?" L cut in, knowing the remainder of his eldest son's sentence. "Yes, I'm aware, but I just want to know that I'm able to contact you. I would never want for something to happen to you, and not know about it."

Matt agreed, as he teasingly 'tsked' the blond. "Yeah, Mels, what're you trying to do? Give him a heart attack?"

"Not funny, Matt," Mello firmly replied, lightly punching the brunette's shoulder.

"Anyway," L spoke up, gaining full attention, "there is an update on our criminal, but it isn't anything that will lead to something important."

"It's still news, isn't it?" Mello questioned.

L nodded once and continued. "That painting, "The Assumption of the Virgin", was not the only piece stolen from the museum. There were also two, golden, Egyptian artifacts taken as well."

Mello raised a brow. "It took the investigation team this long to notice?"

L shrugged. "Yes, apparently so… Still, as I had said, this discovery won't necessarily help us find our murderous thief, but we're still searching and we won't stop until he's brought to justice. That is all I have to say, for now."

* * *

That night, Mello lay wide awake in his bed. It had been two hours since he had retired for the evening, but all he could do was stare at the room's ceiling. Why? He felt uneasy, and wasn't sure why that was true.

He thought back to the anniversary of his parents' murders—today—and, though it still stung his heart, that wasn't what was bothering Mello. He recalled his short visit to that beach, earlier on. Recollecting the memory of the vacation he had spent with his parents, meeting Shawn, that mysterious man…

His eyes squinted in thought. _Is that what's bothering me?_

Now that he thought about it, again, Mello truly did feel uncomfortable in the presence of that man. _But why? It's not like I know him or anything…_

He suddenly heard the door of his room open, seeing a little crack of light seeping in and brightening whatever darkness of the room it touched. Mello then saw the familiar shadow of Near's head peek through the opening. _Huh, what's he doing here?_

"Mello?" the younger boy softly addressed him, "Are you still awake?"

"Yeah," Mello answered, still lying on his back. "Why are you here?"

Near stepped through the room's entrance, shut the door behind him and, within the darkness, approached Mello's bed and sat on its end. "You're troubled."

Mello blinked once in surprise, and he sat up. His eyes had, long before now, adjusted to the darkness covering the room, and he could see the outline of his brother. "You think I'm troubled about something?"

"Yes," Near didn't hesitate to answer.

"But I said I wasn't."

"And that isn't the truth," Near stated, astonishing the blond a little more. "We all know something's wrong with you, so don't try to deny it. Admit what's bothering you."

Near sounded completely sure of himself, and he was not holding back on his bold, confident statements. Mello was now wondering if his entire family knew there was something on his mind… This was Near, L, and Matt. Of course they would know. _Am I really being _that_ obvious?_

The blond teenager chuckled under his breath. "So, you're going to play therapist now?"

"You've done it for me, before. I might as well return the favor," Near replied. He turned more directly towards Mello and then comfortably pulled on knee up into his chest.

Mello shook his head and then heavily sighed. _I might as well… _He reached over towards his nightstand and switched on his lamp, allowing the room to possess more light. Mello could now see Near's expression—completely placid, as it usually was. "Okay, you're all right; there is something on my mind."

Near remained silent, waiting for Mello to continue.

"The reason I left, earlier today, was because today marks the tenth anniversary of my parent's murders… I just wanted to get out and think a little, you know?"

"I understand," Near truthfully responded. "Why didn't you tell us? We still would have understood, then."

"… I don't know, to be honest," Mello told him, thinking back to what he was thinking earlier on in the day. "I guess my only concern at the time was to get out of the apartment."

Near nodded once. "That explains why you didn't take your phone."

"Exactly," Mello lightly responded. "Anyway, I rode around for awhile, before stopping by this random shore side in Santa Monica… I was just thinking about a time when my parents and I were at a beach together, and some kid suddenly walks up and tells me how cool I look."

Near breathed a short laugh in amusement, while Mello continued on with his story.

"He talked to me for awhile, and then left with his own family. Afterwards, when I was about to come back here, this guy walks in front of me. What I'm about to tell you, now, is what's bothering me, Near."

Near quietly nodded, still attentively listening.

"Well, this guy stopped right in front of me and stared at me, like he knew me or something…" Mello paused, thinking back to that man's cold, but hidden, gaze. "Neither one of us spoke to each other. Oddly enough, his stare felt familiar… I couldn't see his eyes, because he was wearing sunglasses, but his demeanor was so… I don't know. I can't place it, for some reason. After he was done looking at me, he nodded and left… "

"… I see," Near said, pondering aloud. "Are you sure this person was just a random one, and not someone you know or knew?"

"That's what I don't understand," Mello replied. "The whole time he was there, it was oddly familiar. I feel like I should know why, and that it should be obvious, but it's like my mind is purposely blocking it out, preventing me from knowing the truth."

Near thought in silence about what Mello had just told him… and he was starting to get a terribly bad feeling about it, himself. All he could think of was one explanation, but he truly didn't want to say it out loud. _It's a ridiculous assumption… but could that man be Vince, the murderer of his parents, somehow? That's all I can think of, though it seems completely impossible…Then again, anything is possible. I'm afraid to tell Mello this, as it could be true. Whenever Vince is mentioned, Mello's eyes become entirely bitter and even vicious. Who knows how he would react to this theory? Saying this would only upset him; it would be best to not say this out loud. For all I know, that man could have simply mistaken Mello for someone he knew. _

"I don't know how to help you solve this," Near told him, partly lying, "but just know that if you see this man again, suspect that he is not to be reckoned with. If he made you feel that uncomfortable, then that's what you should do."

"That's definitely true," Mello agreed. "I'll keep that in mind… Oh, uh, by the way, remember when I told you about the kid who walked up to me before?"

"Yes," Near answered. "I believe he called you 'cool'."

Mello lightly snorted. "Yeah, that one. I talked with him for awhile, and… well, it's kind of funny…"

The room door opened again, and, this time, Matt peeked his head in. "What's funny?"

Mello and Near both stared at him, from where they sat, and mentally thought the same thing. _How long was he standing there?_

"Matt, were you eavesdropping?" Mello asked. He didn't really care; he just wondered why Matt didn't come in earlier.

"Nah, not really," the brunette answered, walking in and closing the door behind him. "I just happened to be walking by and heard you comment on something that was, apparently, 'funny'." He then sat on the black-sheeted bed's end beside Near. "So, is it 'HaHa' funny, or coincidence funny?"

Mello shook his head at Matt and grinned slightly. "Well, in your case, I guess it could be considered funny."

Matt nodded. "Okay, so what's the joke?"

"It's not a joke, Matt," Mello replied, restraining the urge to roll his eyes.

"But you just said I would find it funny," Matt said, shrugging in response.

_Well, isn't this entertaining, _Near thought, subconsciously twirling a strand of his hair, while listening to both of his brothers go back and forth in there pointless, yet amusing conversation.

Mello did roll his eyes this time. "Okay… How about I just get on with it?"

"Yes, why don't you?" Matt suggested, smirking all the while.

Completely unamused with Matt's silly attitude, Mello 'went on with it'. "I was just telling Near that I met a kid earlier today, at a random beach I stopped by. He told me he thought I looked cool, and just started talking to me."

"Wow… He thought _you_ looked cool?"

"Watch it, Matt," Mello warned him, shooting him a brief glare. "Anyway, I think the kid kinda got attached to me. I told him I had brothers, who nicknamed me 'Mello', and now he wants to meet you guys."

"Meet us?" Near questioned, slightly moving his head forward. He had now stopped twirling his hair. "That's… different."

"Yeah, I know, but he's a good kid," Mello ineptly responded, scratching the nape of his neck. "I didn't want to disappoint him, so I said that, if I was able to, I could take you guys to that beach tomorrow. He said he'd be there."

"Wow, Mels, who knew you were so good with kids?" Matt said, beginning to tease Mello once again. "You're even softer than I thought!"

Mello mentally face palmed. _Geez, Matt, I know you _way_ too well. _He crossed his arms in mental discomfort. "Is this 'Make Fun of Mello Day' for you, Matt? Ugh, whatever… So, anyways, what do you guys think? Like I said, he's a good kid, and I don't wanna let him down."

"… I don't see why not," Near honestly replied. "If nothing new happens with our current case, then we should go there."

"Agreed," Matt said, letting out a short yawn. His cerulean eyes immediately became drowsier. "And now, I'm going back to bed." He got off of the bed, and started towards the door.

"Hey, Matt?"

The brunette began to turn his head back around. "Yeah, Mel-"a pillow socked him directly in the face, and then he caught it awkwardly in his arms. "H-Hey!"

"_That_," Mello pointed towards Matt, his lips pulled into a smug smirk, "was for all your stupid commentary."

Matt blinked twice, and then narrowed his eyes into a playful glare. He was now grinning from ear to ear, and he held the pillow like a person would a rifle. "Oh, so you think my commentary was stupid, huh?"

"Hm, pretty much," Mello replied, reaching behind him and seizing his second pillow.

_No, not again,_ Near thought, as he knew _exactly_ where this was going. He already had to deal with Matt earlier, but, if both him and Mello were fighting with pillows, Near was always dragged into the 'war' unwillingly. More than likely, he would always become the main target. After all, Near knew what the consequences were to being the youngest sibling, of the three. _If I can just slip by them-_

Matt stomped his foot like a raging bull would. "CHARGE!"

Near ducked completely out of the way, rolled off of the bed, and avoided Matt's full on assault. He looked back to see Mello and Matt ruthlessly strike each other with their 'artillery'. They would swiftly take turns hitting each other with the pillows, while still completely trying to take the other down. There would be an occasional stumble, quick recovery, and then a full attack from both sides.

The corners of Near's mouth twitched up into a smile. _Now I can just escape._

Mello looked away from his and Matt's combat, and witnessed Near beginning to leave the room._ Fat chance, I haven't forgotten about you!_

"Hey, Matt!" Mello yelled, getting the brunette's attention.

"What?"

"It appears we have a sheep leaving the flock!"

Near was about two feet from the door, but he instantly froze at Mello's words. _He caught me._

Matt was completely fixated on Near now. "Uh, oh, we can't _possibly_ let him leave, right Mels?"

"Right," Mello nodded. "Retrieve the sheep!"

_Why did I stop? _Near now bolted for the room's door, thrust it open, and sprinted through it. It's not like it did much good for him, as both of his older brothers were a lot faster than he was. Just as Near had run into the narrow hallway, he could feel two, singular hands grab each of his arms and drag him back into Mello's room. _That did not go according to plan._

"Did you _really_ think you could escape my watchful eye?" Mello questioned Near, as he closely leaned his face over towards the left side of the younger boy's head.

Near did not answer, and kept his facial expression straight. Matt and Mello were treating this game like it was a war zone, and, since he was being forced to play it again, he would act the part: the silent, yet hopeful, captive.

"He's not responding," Matt reported, in a mock-serious tone of voice. "What do we do now, Mello?"

"We do what we always do to runaways, Matt," Mello said, his voice realistically solemn. "Torture and execution."

Near's eyes slightly widened in remembrance of the last time his brothers played _that_ during a pillow fight… Not fun. _Ah… not again. _

L, who was in the middle of sending a message to the investigation team of this current case, couldn't help but hear the commotion his sons were making upstairs. _Great, they're at it with those pillow fights again._

"Matt, hold him down!" he could hear Mello's faint, but still loud voice booming above him. "Take no prisoner alive!"

_By the sound of it, I'm going to assume Near is losing the fight again._

L shook his head, smiling, and sent his now completed message to the investigation unit. _I suppose I'll go see what's going on._

The fight was still vociferously raging on, as the great detective walked up the short flight of stairs, down the small hallway, and looked into Mello's open door room. Mello currently loomed over Near and was repeatedly smacking his feathery pillow down onto the white haired boy—face up. Near continuously struggled to get away, but Matt had his arms firmly pinned down onto the mattress. The poor boy couldn't escape.

"Let me," another blow of the pillow, "go, already!" Near demanded, having had enough of his brothers' game.

Mello paused for a moment, and looked at Matt. "Should we?"

"Hmm… No."

_Immature, _Near mentally insulted them, preparing for the worst.

Mello laughed and raised the pillow above his head, intending to strike it down upon Near again. "Any last words, Near?"

Near glanced to one side of the room, and then towards the other. As he did so, he noticed L standing at the room's entrance. There, that was his ticket to getting away! "Yes, I do, Mello."

"Then speak," Mello granted him, lowering the pillow. His eyes blazed with his made-up role in the game.

Near smirked in response. "Our father is at the door."

"_Ha_! That's a horrible way at trying to escape!" Mello laughed, once again raising the 'weapon' over his head. "Now, prepare to-!"

"Having fun?" L's familiar voice stopped Mello's strike.

Mello and Matt stopped what they were doing and turned around to see L's amused, grinning face greet them. They stared at him, in silence, before Mello looked back down at Near again. "You're lucky the sovereign ruler came to save you."

Near, still lying face up on the mattress, thanked L within his thoughts.

"Yeah, but we'll getcha next time," Matt notified the albino, as he removed his grip from Near's arms.

"We'll see about that," Near replied, situating himself upright on the mattress.

"Heh, heh, _sure_ we will," Mello said, grabbing one of Near's shoulders and shaking him a bit.

"So, why'd you come up here, L?" Matt asked the older man.

"I heard the noise from downstairs, and thought I'd come up and check on you all."

"Check on us?" Matt innocently questioned. "It's not like we were doing anything wrong."

"I beg to differ," Near said, looking back at Matt with slightly narrowed eyes.

L smiled, softly chuckled, and turned around to go back downstairs. "Goodnight, boys."

"Goodnight, L," all three responded together, watching him leave.

"It's fifteen after twelve, now," Mello declared, looking at his room's clock. "If we're going out tomorrow, we should be well rested."

"Okay," Matt said, slightly yawning again.

"… You're always the first to get tired, aren't you, Matt?" Mello asked him.

"Yeah, apparently so," Matt answered, as he got off of the bed and walked towards the door. "I live with two insomniacs and someone who is the complete opposite of being 'mellow'," he rotated his head around, grinning slightly, "and _I_ have an average sleeping schedule."

Near lightly shrugged, mentally rolling his eyes.

"Whatever," Mello murmured, waving the brunette away. "Goodnight, already."

Matt shot his two brothers a 'See ya later' sign, with his hands, and left.

"I'll go too, then," Near said, barely sliding off the bed. "Was there anything else you wanted to say, before I left?"

Mello briefly shook his head and began to slide under his bed's blankets. "No, I think I covered it all earlier. Thanks, for listening."

"No problem," Near told him, as his feet touched the ground. He stood up, and began to walk away. "Goodnight."

"Night'," Mello replied, as he reached over and turned off his lamp's switch, darkening the room once again.

Near closed Mello's room door behind him, and walked off to his own room. Once he had stepped through his room's entrance, and shut the door behind him, he stood completely still. Near thought back to what Mello had told him earlier—how uncomfortable the look of that unknown man's stare made him feel. Near, himself, could see the disturbance stirring within Mello's eyes, as he spoke of it.

He was still afraid of his assumption, and, the more Near pondered on it, the more realistic it felt. _Mello can't determine why he feels strangely about that man. He only knows that it "felt oddly familiar"… I don't want to think about the possibility of this being true, but… what if…_

* * *

**If Near, Mello, and Matt were to ever become legitimate brothers, I could picture a scenario like the one above happening. X) Poor Near, I'm sorry. This was just so much fun to write.**

**All I have to say, now, is that we will just have to wait and see if Near's theory turns out to be true... Well... It is pretty obvious... right?**

**Thank you, for reading. I hope this chapter was enjoyed, and I hope to hear good things about this story.**


	5. Overheard Past

**I am now back with the fourth chapter! I hope those who are reading this are still enjoying this sequel. I have really worked on it for a long time, and am still continuing to.**

**This chapter will reveal who the unidentified man is, though I believe there are people who already understand who it is. Shawn and his family will also be featured in here, as well, and I hope that they are not badly created, in all of your views. You will all see why they are here, soon enough.**

**I also hope that I have still done well in writing Mello, Near, and Matt. They are different from the first story, "Bonding Experience", but they are still themselves, as well.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters. **

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Overheard Past**

* * *

When morning came, Mello told his father about Shawn and asked if it was fine for him and his brothers to go and meet up with the child for the afternoon. L was all right with it, for nothing new had still been uncovered on their case. The only condition was that Mello had to take his cell phone with him, and keep it on, since he had forgotten it the previous day. Mello only chuckled at that little tease of L's and agreed.

When it was around one o'clock, the boys decided to go ahead and leave for that beach. Mello told Matt and Near to follow him from behind, in Matt's car, while he rode his motorcycle. The younger brothers agreed, and, with that, they all started towards their destination.

* * *

"Hey, Mels," Matt addressed his older brother, as he stepped out of his car's driver's door, "this is a nice place."

"I know," Mello said, as he placed his helmet on his bike. "This is the same spot I was at yesterday, so Shawn should have no problem finding us."

Matt nodded. "That's good."

Near got out of the passenger's door, and walked around to his brothers. He looked out at the glittering ocean, beige sand, and slightly clouded sky. The setting was truly very calming. _It is nice…and so is the weather._

"What should we do, until he comes?" Matt asked Mello.

"Well, we could go and relax on the sand, right?" the blond referenced to the small, wooden stairs a few yards ahead of them.

"That sounds fine, to me," Near responded, as he shifted uncomfortably in his rarely worn shoes. _I wonder how Mello and Matt walk around in these things. I certainly don't blame L for never wearing them._

"Yeah, same here," Matt agreed, as the three walked towards the stairs and stepped down them.

The three brothers then sat down on the seaside's sand and began to relish in the scent of the clean, yet salty, atmosphere. Yesterday, the beach had a few people, but, today, there was no one else at all. It was a more peaceful and different setting, because of that… However, they were completely unaware of the eyes watching them through the lens of a few, unnoticeable cameras.

A short distance away, a van and small convertible were settled on the edge of the beach's parking lot. In the small convertible, a man sat behind its blackened windows and watched the boys. Within the van, another man sat, viewing the boys through computer screens.

* * *

"Can you see them clearly?"

"Yeah, I can… and you're sure you want to bother with this kid—the blond one?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure… Heh, heh, it'll cut into my 'stealing' time, but I'll manage."

"Stealing is one thing, but messing around with kids? I don't even condone those murders of yours-"

"Adem, your job is to follow my orders. We're doing this, and that's _that_."

"… All right… but how did you even know the kid would even be here, anyway?"

"Simple. I happened to see him here yesterday, with a little boy. I heard the other kid say something about him being here today, as well, and that's when I heard the blond one say he might come back with his brothers. Those two, with him, must obviously be his brothers."

"And you actually banked on him showing up? That's impressive… Oh, hey, there's some people driving past us, now. I think I saw a little boy through the back seat's window. Do you think it's him?"

"What did he look like?"

"Well, let's see, they're just beginning to park… Okay, he's getting out. This boy is very young—probably seven to nine years old—has white skin, and short, black hair. Does he fit the description?"

"Perfectly. I can see him, myself, now."

"What do you plan to do, after they all leave?"

"I'll fill in all of the details later, but you're going to follow those boys, and see where they're living, while I follow the little one."

"W-Why are you-?"

"Don't ask questions, yet. You'll see what my plan is later."

"… All right, Vince."

* * *

"Mello!"

All three of the brothers turned around and saw a small, energetic child bounding down the wooden stairs towards them.

"I knew you'd be here! I knew it!" Shawn said excitedly, finally approaching the trio. "Mom said to expect that you wouldn't come, but I knew she'd be wrong." He turned back around to see his mother and father watching him from the top of the wooden stairs. The mother shrugged, humoring the child.

"And why's that?" Mello asked, raising himself from the sandy terrain.

"Cause' I prayed for it!" Shawn answered, hastily turning back around and smiling.

Matt and Near glanced at one another, as they, too, stood up. Mello was right about Shawn; he was a good kid with a vibrant personality.

"Then I guess you got what you prayed for," Matt told the child.

"Oh, wow, are these guys your brothers?" Shawn asked, gazing up at Matt and Near. He was automatically fascinated with Near's unusually colored hair and Matt's fleece vest and goggles. "They look cool, just like you."

Mello grinned, and put an arm around each of his brothers' shoulders. "Yep, they're cool too. This guy, on my right, is Matt, and the other one's Near."

Shawn looked confused for a moment. "Near? Is that another nickname or…?"

"Oh, sorry," Mello apologized, "I mean, we call him 'Near' because he's so close to us. Get it?"

_And you think _I_ come up with cheesy lines and answers,_ Matt thought, glancing at Mello.

Near nodded once, going along with it.

"Oh, I get it," Shawn replied, still smiling. "What about you, Matt? You don't have a nickname?"

"Well… 'Matt' is short for 'Matthew', right?" Matt asked him, assuming that was a good answer.

"Yeah, that's true," Shawn agreed. "I wish I had a nickname. I'm just regular, old Shawn Benedict."

"But that's a nice name, all on its own," Near told him, finally speaking. "Don't you think so?"

Shawn nodded to himself, still holding a sweet grin. "Yeah, I guess… Thanks."

"Hello," Shawn's father greeted the trio of brothers, as he and a smaller woman beside him walked down the stairs' final step. He was tall, slightly muscled, had short, black hair and sported a goatee. "My name's Thomas, and this my wife, Aretha. I hope it wasn't any trouble for the three of you to travel down here."

"Oh, no, not at all, sir," Matt told him. "We're not staying that far away from here, anyway."

"That's good," Aretha said. "I couldn't believe how excited Shawn was about you, uh… You call yourself 'Mello', right?"

"Yes," Mello nodded once. "That's me."

She nodded once. "You are all welcome to the food we brought along," she said, referencing to the medium sized cooler of snacks she carried in her left hand. "I didn't know if you'd actually come… but I wanted to express how happy I was to see a boy your age take such a liking to my son."

_Huh, they're a nice family,_ Near thought, studying each of the new people's faces.

Mello revealed a genuine, half smile to the woman. "That's very considerate, and we—my brothers and I—appreciate it. Like I told you yesterday, your son's a good kid."

"Thank you," the short haired woman faintly blushed. "Oh, and he was such a cute baby-"

"_Mom_!" Shawn whined, "Don't start with the baby stories again! That's embarrassing, and nobody wants to hear it!"

Mello and Matt snickered at Shawn's outburst, while Near quietly continued to observe them. Shawn's behavior reminded him of Mello, somehow…

"Is there anything you wanted to do in particular, Shawn?" Mello suddenly asked him.

The young child paused for a moment, and then shrugged. "Not really… I was hoping that we could sit down, and I could ask you guys some questions. You're all so cool, and I'm just curious."

Thomas was about to say something to Shawn, but Mello slightly raised his hand. "That's fine by us, really. We'll talk about whatever you want."

Thomas looked at Matt and Near, as well, and both teenagers nodded.

Shawn's parents looked at one another and then shrugged. As long as these boys didn't mind spending time with their son, then everything was fine. They just hoped Mello and his brothers weren't bothered. Though, in truth, none of the three were.

"So, you boys are transfer students and are studying to become detectives?" Shawn's mother asked of the boys. "That's amazing!"

"I'm definitely not surprised to hear that," Shawn's father said. "I can see the advanced intellect about you, through our conversations."

"Thanks," Matt replied, shifting his weight a little on the blanket that lay beneath him and the others. "We've even been allowed to work with investigation units before."

"That's _so_ neat!" Shawn responded, still attentively listening. "You get to do stuff like that?"

"I didn't think that students would be allowed to do something like that," Aretha thought aloud.

"We've done well in school, and our records prove that we're legitimate enough to assist them," Matt unhesitatingly continued. "Huh… I guess you could call us detectives, after all."

_Not a bad way to tell them things, without saying too much,_ Mello thought, nodding in agreement with Matt.

"Well, it makes sense, to me," Thomas said.

"Uh, huh," Shawn hummed, in a matter-of-fact way. "I hope I get to do something like that one day… I just thought of another question."

All three boys waited for him to continue.

"You all look different," Shawn began. "What I mean is you don't look related. If you don't mind, can I ask if you all came from here, America, or other places?"

_That's a different question,_ Near thought, thinking about how the three of them would answer Shawn.

"Well…" Mello started out, "We were all adopted by one man, a few years ago. All three of us came from a universal orphanage and school."

Aretha flashed a slight expression of sympathy for them, but changed it quickly.

"I'm originally from America," Matt spoke up, "but, from my father's side, I have Turkish blood lines. On my mother's side, I have Macedonian heritage."

Shawn looked at Matt with keen interest, hoping he would expand with his story.

"My mother and I lived on our own," Matt continued, "because my father left one night and never returned. Two years after that, my mother passed away."

"Oh, goodness," Aretha sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks, miss," Matt said, smiling at her. "It's all right, though. I gained what I lost when I met these guys," waving his hand towards Mello and Near, "and finally got adopted."

"That's wonderful," Aretha said, her words extremely genuine.

Shawn nodded in agreement. "I'm glad about that, too." He then turned to Near. "What about you, Near? I've never seen anyone who looks like you before, and I mean that in a good way."

Near let out a brief, noiseless chuckle, and looked the younger boy in the eye. "Have you ever heard of a condition called albinism?"

Shawn pondered on that for a moment, and then shook his head 'no'.

"It's a rare circumstance that people and animals can be born with," Near began to tell him. "People, who have this, possess no color pigmentation within the skin or hair. There are also a few side effects, and health problems that can go along with it."

Aretha began to look worried again, and Near noticed.

"Don't worry, I'm not severally affected by it," Near assured them, mainly Shawn's mother. "In fact, I'm rather lucky to have only a few sensibilities. Besides that, I was also born here, in America, but I don't really have much knowledge on my family's history… I didn't really know my parents."

Mello and Matt's expressions softened, as they both remembered Near's story of his parents abandoning him at such a young age.

"That's… awful," Shawn said, a sad look crossing into his features. "I guess you're glad you found Mello and Matt, huh?"

Near half smiled and nodded once. "I am. I'm very grateful to have them with me."

Mello playfully nudged Near's side, in response. "Yeah…"

Shawn toothily grinned. "I hope that, when my little brother Richie grows up, he and I will be as close as you guys are."

Thomas ruffled his son's hair. "Just keep being a good, older brother, and it'll definitely happen."

"Exactly," Mello agreed.

"Oh, Mello," Shawn suddenly said, "What about you? Where do you come from?"

Near and Matt both side glanced at their older brother, hoping it wouldn't upset him to mention anything close to that incident.

Mello's expression did not waver, as he began his background story. "I, unlike, my brothers, was actually born in Slovenia. My mother and father were both true Slovenians but, while he was in college, my father excessively learned the English language and taught my mother. That is the single reason why my English speech is so good—I barely even have an accent!"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Shawn exclaimed. "I've never heard of that place before. Mom, Dad, how about you?"

Both parents glanced at each other.

"Well, I have," said Thomas.

"I'm sorry to say I haven't," Aretha said, looking embarrassed.

Shawn giggled and faced Mello again. "Can you say something in Slovenian, for me?"

Matt and Near now listened even harder, for they had never heard Mello speak his native tongue before.

Mello laughed lightly and quickly thought of something. "Okay, um… My Slovene is really out of practice, but let's see, uh… Vi ste zelo… prijazni ljudje."

Shawn tilted his head in curiosity. "That sounded really cool… but what'd you say?"

"I said," Mello began, grinning slightly, "that you and your family are very nice people."

"Well, thank you," Aretha politely said, "It was interesting to hear another language being spoken; especially one I've never even heard of!"

Shawn nodded excitedly, while Near and Matt both thought about how cool it was, too.

"If I may ask," Thomas began, "Why did your father have you all mainly learn English?"

Mello focused his attention on Shawn's father. "The reason my father was so into learning the English language, and making sure that my mother and I knew it, was because he had planned on us moving here, to America, together…"

Shawn's expression diminished into a sad, yet curious one all of a sudden. "W-What happened?"

"Now, Shawn-"

"No, ma'am, it's all right," Mello told Aretha, cutting her off. "I don't mind answering this question."

Near looked at his blond brother intensely. _Are you sure, Mello?_

Mello softly breathed in and out, through his nose, before continuing again. "Ten years ago, someone broke into our home and… killed them…"

"Oh, dear," Aretha breathed a sigh of sympathy for Mello. "I can't even imagine…"

_She's a very compassionate woman, _Mello thought to himself, silently thanking her. "I won't go farther into how, or why, it happened, but the ordeal did lead me to another family. So, in the end, it wasn't so bad after all."

Matt nodded once, while Near continued to look at Mello's eyes. He truly did seem to be held together…

Shawn still looked upset for Mello, but, out of consideration for the boy, Mello shot him a smile—allowing him to know that he was fine. Shawn then smiled back, seeing that Mello was okay.

All of a sudden, a ring tone went off.

"Oh, pardon me, that's mine," Thomas said, as he reached into his pocket, and pulled out his cell phone. He flipped it open, and answered, "Hello?" After a moment, he said, "Okay, see you in a minute," and turned his phone off.

"Who was that?" Aretha asked her husband.

"It was Mom," he answered. "She, Dad, and Richie are on their way to the theater. We have to go, otherwise we'll miss the show."

Shawn's face twisted into one of sheer disappointment. "_Aw_, Dad, do we have to?"

"I'm afraid so, buddy," Thomas said, his tone understanding. He raised himself up from the ground, helping his wife up as well. He then turned to the three brothers. "Thank you, for your time today. We all appreciated it." He stuck out a hand towards Mello first.

Mello took his hand, as he stood up with his brothers, and shook it. "It was good to sit down and talk awhile."

Thomas nodded and then proceeded to shake Matt's and Near's hands as well. "If we don't get to see you three again, just know that we'll definitely remember you."

"Same here," Matt seconded.

Aretha picked up the blanket and folded it over her arm. Matt picked up the cooler for her, and handed it out to her. "And thanks for those homemade sandwiches earlier. They were great."

Aretha smiled and took the cooler from him. "Thank you, I'm glad you liked them," she looked upon each of the boy's faces again. "Good luck with everything you're all doing. I'm amazed at how all of you rose from such tragic events, and are working together to help others in their tragedies. It's so admirable."

"Thank you," Near spoke up first. "We appreciate those comments."

Matt and Mello nodded and said, "Thank you," as well.

The couple began to walk away, but turned back around, both knowing that Shawn was still lingering behind them.

"I'll see you guys in a minute, okay?" Shawn asked, his eyes begging for him to stay a minute longer.

His mother smiled and granted him an extra few moments. Afterwards, both she and Thomas started off towards their family's vehicle.

Shawn turned back around, just gazing up at the three, older boys. "I wish the time hadn't gone by so fast…"

Mello smiled down at the younger child, and then reached his gloved hand down to the top of the boy's head, ruffling his hair a bit. "It did, but I guarantee you that my brothers and I won't forget you."

"Absolutely not," Matt chimed in. "When Mello came back home yesterday, he told me and Near about how great you are."

Shawn grinned up at him with his eyes and lips. "Really?"

"Yes," Near answered, kneeling down to Shawn's height. "He did, and I can see all of your good qualities, through your actions and your words."

_Aw, that was nice,_ Matt thought, outwardly smiling. _Not to mention unexpected of him._

Shawn then did something that startled Near, and everyone else. He lunged forward and hugged Near around his neck. Near, caught off guard, slowly raised both of his hands to Shawn's back and awkwardly completed the embrace. After a moment, Shawn stepped back, still smiling.

"What was that for?" Near placidly asked him.

"For what you said," Shawn replied, looking directly into the albino's deep, grey eyes. "It meant a lot, and I won't forget it… Thanks."

Near stared at the boy silently before answering a true, "You're welcome," and stood back to his feet.

Shawn then walked towards Matt and hugged him as well, around the waist. Matt looked down at him, and then kindly patted the boy's shoulders.

"Are you gonna miss us _that_ much?" the brunette asked.

Shawn nodded into Matt's soft, fleece vest jacket, and then released his arms from around him. "I really will miss you guys. You're all so cool to talk to… There aren't many people I can talk to, at school, and you guys are just the best."

All three looked at him with understanding.

_I'm surprised that someone like Shawn has few friends,_ Near thought to himself.

Matt and Mello thought similar things.

"Well, I'm next, right?" Mello asked, slightly throwing his arms to his sides.

"Yeah," Shawn answered, as he approached the blond and hugged his waist. "I'll _really_ miss you."

Mello slightly bent down and embraced the boy back. "Me too, kid… but, as I've said, who's to say you won't see me, or Matt and Near, again in the future? Things happen."

"Yeah, that's true," Shawn responded, breaking the hug and looking up into Mello's sharp, icy blue eyes. "I'm sure I'll see you guys again."

"That's the spirit!" Matt stimulated, as Shawn began to walk away.

Shawn turned back around once more, when he was a few yards away, and briefly waved. "I'll pray for you guys all the time! That's what my mom says you should do when you care about people."

"And she's right," Mello replied, smiling once more. "Thanks for that, Shawn! Send our thanks to your parents one more time too, all right?"

Shawn nodded once more, and then turned around and bolted for the wooden stairs, leading to the parking lot.

* * *

"Okay, the boy's father said they were going to a theater… I know the local one, here, is more than likely where they're going," Vince calculated, as he watched Shawn and his family pull out. "I'll wait awhile before actually following them."

Adem, who was still sitting behind his darkened, car windows, nodded in silent understanding. "When, and how, should I follow those boys?"

"Let them get a head start, of a few seconds, before tailing them," Vince replied, still keeping his eyes fixated on the three brothers, who were just now getting to the parking lot. The blond one, referred to as 'Mello', was getting onto his motorcycle and sliding his helmet over his head. _I could hear every word being said… Heh, heh, if there were ever any doubts before, there certainly aren't any now. He _is_ that boy, and I clearly remember the true name she gave him… Mihael… I never thought I would see you again, but prepare yourself…Prepare yourself. _

* * *

**And our villain as been named; it is Vince, the murder of Mello's parents. Also, you have met Adem, Vince's henchman (Adem does not agree with any of things Vince does, but he has no choice but to be under Vince's order. Continue to read and find out why). From here on out, this story will become much more, as I said before, dark and, hopefully, intense.**

**I wanted to explain my reasons for the boys' backgrounds. Many people say that Mello is Russian, when, in fact, his name is Slovene derived (Just to mention something, 'Mihael' is the Slovene and/or Croatian form of the name 'Michael'). This is what I have discovered, in researching his name's origins. As for Matt, I tried my best to research the origin of his name, but only dug up traces to Turkish and Macedonian (Serbian, too) heritage. Apparently, from what I found, that is the case... I am not entirely sure how I got Turkish, but I decided to include it anyway. It's kind of neat, to me. Near's name, Nate River, sounds like an English American name, and so, to me, it is reasonable to say that he is originally from America. Based on the past background I gave him, in "Bonding Experience", I don't think Near would have been able to really uncover what type of ancestry he has.**

**I hope this chapter was enjoyed, and I hope Shawn was enjoyable to read (I love the little guy), as well as Mello's, Near's, and Matt's relationship with him. I really loved writing those final scenes with them out. **

**I hope to hear good things about this, from you readers.**

**Thank you, for reading.**


	6. Malevolence

**Thank you, still, to those who read and review this story. I really appreciate it, and hope to hear more about what I have done, from you readers.**

**I do not have much else to say, besides that this new chapter will be the starting point of everything worse that is to happen, in this story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Malevolence**

* * *

As Vince had ordered him, Adem followed through with the plan of following Mello, Near, and Matt home. Adem had made with absolute certainty that he was not obvious in following them. He drove closely enough behind them, to keep in sight of the boys, but not to where they could actually notice him.

He followed them into an area that completely consisted of several, closely knit apartments. The boys turned into one of them, and Adem continued to drive by. He could distinguish which one they had entered, for each of these apartments had their own number to go by—as an apartment building would have anyway.

Now that Adem was aware of where the boys lived, he would circle the area and drive back to his and Vince's hideout. He still had no idea of what Vince was planning to do, in regard of the little boy and his family, but he was hoping that his boss wasn't going to do something drastic… Even though he was working under a man like Vince, and didn't approve of his motives and actions, Adem didn't have a say in what he could or couldn't do.

His hands clenched the steering wheel, as he thought back to why he was even here to begin with. _I can never turn around… He'll kill him if I refuse._

For the last few years, Adem had been working under Vince and was only doing so because Vince had threatened the life of someone important to him. The reason why was because of a lousy debt Adem couldn't pay back to Vince. Now, because of his foolishness, Adem would still have to continue in having a hand in Vince's works of self-gaining crime.

As he drove, Adem removed a picture from the top of his car's visor. He gazed down at the old photo, sadness overcoming his eyes. There, captured within the photo, was him, his wife, and their only son, taken years ago. It was such a happy occasion when that photo was taken. At that time, Adem's short, dark, brown hair was a bit more grown out than it was now. His once happy, chestnut colored eyes were now weary and sapped. His smoother, lightly tanned skin—reflected in the picture—was now beginning to reveal wrinkles. Adem turned his gaze towards the lovely woman beside his past image, now. His wife had always possessed the most kind and gentle soul, and it matched her delicate, outward beauty. His son was always so happy and rambunctious, but well-mannered … A truly good boy, at all angles.

Adem placed the photo back onto the visor above him and took a left turn. _I was pathetic; I couldn't do anything for my wife… but my son still has a chance. As long as I do what Vince says, he'll be fine… and then maybe, just maybe, I can see him again._

* * *

_I've been waiting up here for almost two hours now,_ Vince thought, as he spied through the top, slightly open, musty window of an abandoned building that was next door to the theater Shawn and his family had gone too. _They should be coming out any time now, and when they do…_

Vince then remembered the excitement of recognizing Mihael's face again. The image of watching the blond, all afternoon, immersed him with a feeling of loathing, as well as intense possession. The boy was, after all, born of the woman he loved, and he surely took after her in physical appearance… but was also fathered by the man he hated most. He briefly wondered why he had even allowed for the boy to live, at all, back then. Did he not really care as to what became of the child, or, deep within his sick, conflicted mind, did he want the boy to wallow in the misery and shock of losing his beloved parents?

He decided that it didn't matter and tuned his thoughts back to his current mission. All he knew was that, while he had the opportunity, he would go to whatever extreme to emotionally injure Mihael again. When the topic of his parents came up, during that sit down with that boy and his family, Vince could clearly see the discomfort in his eyes. Even after all of this time, what Vince had done still struck a nerve within Mihael… It was, in all honesty, overly satisfying for him to see.

Just now, Vince could plainly see the boy and his five, extra family members exiting the theater. He smirked cruelly as he began to prepare himself. There would be plenty of people around to see the result of what he was about to do… Hey, a little publicity never hurt, right? All he had to do was make sure he could perform this in a well-executed manner and still go unnoticed. This wouldn't be a problem.

The tip of a small, metal weapon was slightly extended through the tiny opening of the window. Vince carefully aimed his pistol down upon the unsuspecting family, grinned deviously…

_This is for you… Mihael._

And fired.

* * *

Later on, after Mello, Near, and Matt had returned home, they went into L's computer room and assisted him with anything that was needed to be done. Afterwards, the three remained in the room and watched the L.A. news station, on the medium sized television that L kept in the room.

"It's been a few days, and our guy still hasn't made any new attempts to steal," Matt said aloud, as he and his brothers watched the news station. The news was basic and typical, for L.A., at the moment. There were a few, stupid people getting arrested for drinking and driving, prostitution involvement, and terribly thought out store robberies. "I guess it's good and not so good that we're not hearing anything, right now."

"I get what you mean," Mello said, finishing the last bite of his chocolate bar. "It's good because nothing's being taken, and no one's getting hurt or killed. The reason why it's not good is because we still have unanswered questions and no physical evidence to find him."

"That basically sums up everything," Matt responded, relaxing a bit more onto the sofa he and Mello were lounging on. "What do you think, Near?"

Near, who was sitting just below his brothers' feet—comfortably sitting with one knee pulled into his chest—simply answered, "Mello is correct."

"Do you have anything else to expand on?" Matt asked, wanting to hear any extra information Near might be storing.

Near paused before answering, "We should just suspect that with any case here in L.A., that involves a criminal not being identified, could possibly be the one we're looking for. Whether it is related or not, we should still consider it."

"That is what I think, as well," L spoke up, from his hunched position at his desk. "However, there is one aspect that will make the crime more obviously related to our suspect."

"There would be a certain style to his work. He, as well as the crime, would be nonexistent," Near said, figuring that was what his father thought.

"Exactly," L replied, his mouth full from the strawberry-filled doughnut he had just bitten into. "We just have to hope that," he swallowed, "he'll slip up soon."

All of a sudden, a "Breaking News" headline made itself known on the television, gaining the attention of the trio of brothers.

"Recently, around 8:45 tonight," the female broadcaster began, from her studio seat, "a young boy was shot by a mysterious assailant, in front of the AMC Santa Monica 7 theater."

Mello couldn't help but speculate at hearing the word 'theater'. It was probably just a coincidence, but he remembered Shawn's father saying something about going to a theater… He quickly glanced at the room's clock, to his left. _9:04 P.M…_

"There was not a drive by shooting or frontal assault," the woman continued, "There was not even a sound of gun-fire. According to eye witnesses, the silent shot simply came out of nowhere and pierced the boy's left, upper side. Reportedly, from the boy's grandfather "he immediately fell to the ground" and did not see where the shot came from. He was quickly taken—by ambulance—to the UCLA Medical Center, shortly after. He is still alive, but in critical condition."

_Ah, poor kid,_ Matt thought to himself, as the broadcast continued.

"The boy, eight-year-old Shawn Benedict-"

Mello tuned out everything else that was said after Shawn's name was broadcast… Shawn! It was him! It couldn't _not_ be him! All he could do was stare at the television in shock. Matt and Near were equally shocked as well, but, soon after Shawn's name was put out, Matt—in delayed reaction—jumped forward in his seat.

"M-My God," Matt lowly gasped. "I-It was him! _Shawn_!"

L, now remembering the name of the boy Mello had mentioned to him earlier, quickly turned his head towards the boys. "_That_ Shawn? Are you positive that this isn't someone else?"

"Yes, it was him!" Matt exclaimed, standing up. "Before Shawn's family left the beach, his father got a call from another family member, saying that they would all be going to a local theater… The age, the name, the last name; there's no way it isn't him!"

Near, feeling obvious concern for Shawn, silently agreed with Matt. _There's no way that was just a coincidence… It can't be… _

L nodded once, in understanding. "I see… Didn't that broadcaster say the assailant was unseen and continued saying, from the eye witnesses' points of view, that the shot seemed to come out of nowhere?"

"Y-Yes," Mello spoke up, tearing himself away from his blank stare at the television. "That's what she said… Are you thinking this has something to do with our unnamed suspect?"

"All I'm thinking is that it 'could'," L answered, turning towards them in his spinning chair. "We were, after all, just discussing this kind of matter. As always, there is the possibility of it being someone else… Did Shawn's family ever seem uncomfortable about anything—as if they knew someone might have been watching or following them, for whatever reason? Did any of you notice strange activity around you, at all?"

"No," Near answered. "Shawn and his family were completely relaxed the entire time, and I didn't see anything out of the ordinary or suspicious."

"Me either," Matt seconded. "The whole time we were with them was, well, normal."

Mello abruptly stood up and silently began walking towards the room's door.

"You want to go there," the great detective stated, causing Mello to stop and turn around. "I understand that you want to go and see if he's all right, but I'm a little skeptical of the fact that this whole issue seems… odd."

"What do you mean?" Mello asked, clearly wondering what L was talking about. _What's odd about it?_

"Mello, you have met this boy twice," L began. "From the first meeting, Shawn was, and still is, an acquaintance of yours. Don't you find it strange that, soon after meeting him again today, he was shot by someone unknown? For no particular reason, it seems?"

All three of the boys' pairs of eyes rested on L, trying to comprehend what he was saying. Near, however, understood it completely. Mello had told him, the night before, about a man who had passed him at the beach. He said that the unseen stare of that man unsettled him greatly… _What if whoever Mello saw is involved in this? It's preposterous, but-_

"L, I don't think this is as bad for me as you're making it out to be," Mello steadily told the man, turning around to face the room's door again. "Los Angeles, as well as the rest of the world, is a crazy place. Things happen… I just want to see Shawn, for myself, and maybe ask his parents any questions on what happened, from their point of view."

Near and Matt, who were still by the television, gave L an assured look—that it would be fine for Mello to go. Near was still bearing in mind that this sudden theory of L's could possibly be related to Mello, but he thought it would be appropriate to pay the boy a visit, since they had heard about this incident. He didn't think there was anything to worry about, in going.

"… Go on, then," L told Mello, granting him permission. "I think you're right. Take as much time as you need, but please don't do anything to draw attention to yourself."

"Got it," Mello said, under his breath as he rotated his head towards his brothers. "Are you guys coming, too?"

"Y-Yeah, sure, Mels," Matt said, walking towards him. "We'll all take my car."

Near simply got to his feet and followed them out of the door.

As the three left, Mello quickly called back to L, "I have my cell phone. No worries."

L stared at the opened door's empty space, until he heard the faint sound of the engine of Matt's car rev up and take off. He then turned back to the three computer monitors, after the sound disappeared.

What Mello had said was true, but L wasn't about to let go of his theory of the possibility of someone following Mello… It was such an outlandish, impracticable theory, but something seemed to tell him that he wasn't wrong in suspecting it… Something didn't feel quite right.

_It's as if an unpredictable series of events is about to unfold around us… I'll be twice as cautious about anything, from now on._

* * *

"Matt, when we get to the hospital, I want you to do something," Mello evenly said, as he and his two brothers made their way to UCLA Medical Center. Matt was at the wheel, Mello was in the passenger seat, and Near sat in the seat behind Mello. "I want you to go down to that theater Shawn was shot at, while Near and I check up on him."

"Sure, I guess," Matt answered, stopping at a current red light. "I suppose you want me to make an investigation of my own, of the place and surroundings?"

"Yes," Mello answered, "and ask any questions that you think are suitable, to anyone who is involved. I'm sure there's an investigation team examining the area, now."

The light turned green, and Matt continued in driving forward. "I don't see any harm in it, as long as I'm not doing anything outrageous. If I don't get any answers from anyone, I'll come up with my own analysis of what could've happened; especially where the bullet might have come from."

Near agreed in silence. He had not seen that man Mello had seen the previous day, but he was still thinking about what his eldest brother had said, what he, himself, had almost instantly thought when Mello told him about it, and L's theory on the matter. Near always tried to be wary of his surroundings, and he never saw anyone suspicious around them earlier. The beach was completely normal, and nothing seemed to be out of place… Had he missed something? The more Near thought about it, the more practical his and L's theory seemed to become. Was Shawn's victimized position caused from something that was tied to Mello… or was it all just a coincidence?

* * *

Adem, who had long since been at his and Vince's hideout, had been watching the L.A. news station at the time of the broadcast announcement of Shawn Benedict's shooting… He knew it was Vince.

_There's no one else it could've been. Why go this far? Why shoot a little boy? I know Vince has something going on towards that blond kid, but still… That boy did not deserve to be shot!_

Adem heard a vehicle drive up behind the 'abandoned' warehouse he and Vince were residing in. He was back.

Adem hurriedly walked to the door he knew Vince would be walking through, at any moment. Just as he approached it, his boss opened the door.

"Ah, Adem," Vince greeted him, his face stress-free and poised, as he passed the other man. He stopped and rotated his head around, noticing that his partner's eyes were livid. "Is something the matter? You look rather… upset."

"You shot that boy," Adem gruffly told him, his fists clenching and his eyes narrowing. He had always had reason to fear Vince, but now was not the time to back down.

"Oh, so it's been broadcasted," Vince said, a sly grin playing upon his lips. "You're angry about it?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" Adem questioned, still trying to keep his composure. "I still don't know what your issue is with that Mello kid, but why shoot that other boy?"

Vince seemed to be, momentarily, amused. "My actions are none of your current concerns. I've told you that before-"

"That boy is someone's child!" Adem interrupted, now raising his voice. "I demand to know why you're suddenly targeting and harming children—_children_!"

The air was still for a few seconds, as the two men stared at each other. Adem's eyes revealed an intense hatred towards the other, while Vince's face held no emotion at all.

"… Adem," Vince finally spoke, his accented voice rigid and cold, "I don't believe you are presently in any position to be making demands."

The sound of Vince's voice chilled Adem to the bone. He hated that this man could have so much power over him, with just a simple change of tone.

"As I have told you plenty of times, before you so rudely interrupted me," Vince sharply continued, "I do what I do for personal gain. This matter is another of those gains. However, it is not a material gain, this time… It is a satisfactory gain."

Adem swallowed lightly, still keeping his eye contact with Vince unbroken. He had figured that was why Vince was doing this anyway, but to actually hear him say it…

Vince smirked and continued on, once again. "I will not tell you why I am targeting this boy, but I will say this…" he frowned now and his eyes narrowed, "If you ever 'demand' to know my intentions for him again, I'll make _sure_ that you will one day wake up to see your son's corpse lying at your feet."

Adem's eyes widened, and he took an unbalanced step back.

Vince delighted in seeing this reaction and smirked even more cruelly then he previously had. "As I always tell you, I have kept tabs on your family since the very beginning. I wouldn't _dare_ lie about the fact that I know your son's whereabouts. No, I surely wouldn't, and you know that… Are we clear, Adem?"

Adem's heart tightened as he silently nodded once. What choice did he have? Even though Adem had not physically seen his son in so much time, he would do anything to guarantee his safety. Even if his son might hate him for all of his past mistakes, Adem would never think twice about securing his life over his own son's.

"I'm glad you understand now," Vince said, his vindictive smile turning into a more settled one. "Now, enlighten me… Where do those boys live?"

* * *

**Oh, Shawn, I am so sorry for doing this to you... I will not speak of what his turnout will be, however. No one shall know, until it is specified in a future chapter, if Shawn will be all right.**

**As for Adem, you now know why he has to work under Vince. He has made many mistakes in the past, but he always loved is son and wife. His wife has perished, but his son still lives, though he knows nothing of his location. As long as he does what Vince tells him to do, eveything _should _be all right... Vince is an evil, cunning monster.**

**I hope this chapter was well written, and the emotions for the boys were portrayed well. **

**Thank you, for reading.**


	7. Detection

**Thank you to those who are still reading and reviewing! I appreciate it very much!**

**In the previous chapter, as you read, precious little Shawn was shot by Vince (The poor boy; I hated to hurt him like that). Vince, as you may have noticed, has a very concerning... possessiveness... over Mello. The reasons why look to be clear, if you read Vince's thoughts, but there will be much more explained in a future chapter, as to what the full extent of this possessiveness is.**

**Mello, Near, and Matt are all set to get involved in this matter more frontally. L and Near have very correct theories on what may be happening, with Near having more inner knowing and clues. Adem must bow to Vince's schemes, otherwise he will lose his son... **

**Let us continue on, with this next chapter. I hope it is enjoyed.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Detection**

* * *

"Thanks, for doing this, Matt," Mello said to the brunette, as he and Near exited the red sports car. They were now in front of the UCLA Medical Center.

"No problem," Matt replied, "I'll call you guys if I discover anything important."

"That'd be great. Thanks again," Mello responded. "Just come back here whenever you're finished."

"Sure thing."

Mello nodded once and then shut the passenger door. He and Near both watched Matt drive away, before Mello lowly said, "Come on. Let's go, Near."

Near put a hand on Mello's shoulder, as the blond turned to walk for the hospital's entrance. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mello said, as he took a step forward and shook Near's hand off of his shoulder. "Really, I am." With that, he continued to walk forward. Near watched him for second before silently following him.

Of course Mello wasn't all right—Near knew that much. It was perfectly understandable. _Even though we, Mello especially, have only known Shawn for a short amount of time, no one could blame him for the way he feels. I, myself, am concerned for Shawn… I can only hope that what's happened to him won't worsen._

* * *

"Where is Shawn Benedict? The boy who was shot tonight?" Mello asked a woman at the hospital's front desk. "Do you know if he's in a room yet or not? He knows us."

The woman looked at the two boys peculiarly before answering, "Shawn Benedict is being treated in our hospital's ER. I know, for certain, that his parents are on the third floor. If you want to see them, then that's where you should go."

"Thanks," Mello said to the woman and turned around. He and Near then walked over towards the first elevator they saw. The two boarded it, while getting a few odd glances from a few unloading passengers.

_Do we really look so strange to everyone? _Near couldn't help but wonder, as a little girl and, what he presumed to be, her mother walked past him and Mello. Their expressions clearly showed uncanny disinterest.

Mello, on the other hand, couldn't care less of what people thought of his leathery attire. It was his style. End of story. Besides, shouldn't these people be worrying about other things, besides the appearances of others?

The elevator's doors closed behind them, and Mello pressed the button that would take them to the third floor. The blond teenager was still a little anxious of placing himself in front of Shawn or his parents. He never did feel comfortable with looking at people in pain or watching them experience an emotion that would be equivalent to enduring physical pain. He, himself, was a prime example of that brand of hurt when his parents had been killed. Near too… It almost destroyed Mello to see Near in so much pain, and have the knowing that he had wrought it upon him. He usually did well with holding his composure, with this type of thing, but it was always hard to mask the discomfort he felt. No matter what, he would have to remain strong and steady, as always.

"Mello, we're here."

Mello's uncomfortable thoughts disappeared. The doors had opened to the third floor of the hospital, and Near had placed himself in front of the blond. His large, grey eyes penetrated straight into Mello's, unsettling him for a moment.

"Are you sure you can go?" Near placidly asked him. His voice was smooth, yet still revealed the briefest trace of concern.

"Yeah," Mello quietly muttered, "I told you before, I'm fine."

Near, deciding it would be best not to question him any farther, for now, turned around and stepped out of the loft with Mello following him. "All right then, I suggest we ask someone, like that receptionist said, where he is."

"Right," Mello agreed, spying a male doctor a few feet away. The doctor's back was partially facing them, and he appeared to be writing something down onto a clipboard. "Excuse me, sir?"

"Uh, oh, yes?" the doctor replied, turning to meet Mello's eyes. The doctor appeared to be very tired. His eyes bore a slight redness to them, and the glasses he wore had slipped past the bridge of his nose. "Can I help you two?"

"Yes," Mello answered. "My brother and I are looking for a boy named Shawn Benedict."

"Oh, yes, I know who you are both referring to," the doctor immediately replied. "I am one of the doctors in charge of his care. He is in a very critical position right now… Do the both of you know him?"

"Yes," Mello answered. "Will he… Will Shawn be all right?" Asking that felt really wrong. He and his brothers had only seen him hours before this had happened…

The doctor sighed and lowered his head slightly. "I… I really don't know, at the moment. The bullet that hit him went completely through him. That bullet went straight through his left lung and exited the lower part of his right side."

Imagining that made Mello feel sick to his stomach. He was currently only thinking of what Shawn must have physically felt, while Near was now wondering if the shooting was, in fact, purposeful. The shot, to him, sounded like it had been deliberate, and, on top of it all, the assailant had not attempted to shoot anyone else. What was the point of shooting someone—a child, nonetheless—and gain nothing from it? Unless…

"The boy is still being tended to in the ER," the doctor said. "If you want to see his parents, they're down the right side hall, here," he pointed it out, "in a waiting room. Just make another right turn, and they'll be there. However, you might want to wait a bit before going there. Some officers went back there not too long ago and are asking them questions, now…" his expression turned into a sympathetic one as his pager went off. He looked at it and nodded to both Near and Mello. "I have to go now. Good luck." As he walked past them, the two boys could here him murmur, "That poor woman," under his breath.

* * *

Meanwhile, Matt was just reaching the theater Shawn was shot at. There was an obvious investigation going on still, from what he was seeing. He turned into the nearest spot that was open for him within the area, and he stopped his car. He opened the door and stepped out of the car midway, just to look at his surroundings. He was parked by an abandoned looking building, beside the theater.

Matt hesitated to fully remove himself from his vehicle. He watched from afar for a moment, as the investigators were busy searching the area. Matt then completely got out of his car, closed the door behind him, and began walking towards the front of the AMC Santa Monica 7 theater. He was an outsider, walking in on the crime scene, but maybe he would get a few, simple answers.

"Excuse me, sir?" Matt began to ask one of the investigators, who was crouched on the ground—and trying to find something, it appeared—as he approached him, "I know the boy who was shot here."

The man looked up. His eyes revealed confusion, so Matt continued on. "I'm sure you're wondering who I am, and why I'm here, but I wanted to ask a few questions, if I may."

"O-Okay," the man replied, raising an eyebrow. His hair was short and blond, his eyes were light blue, he seemed to be of a medium build, and he appeared to be in his late twenties to early thirties. "I won't question why a kid is here, but I assume your motives for coming here are good," he stood up and nicely said, "You can call me Dave. What is it you wanna know?"

"Thanks, uh, Dave," Matt replied, grinning a bit awkwardly. He didn't think someone would so quickly respond to what he asked. _This guy kinda reminds of Matsuda._ "You can call me Matt. As for a starter question, do you know what position Shawn was standing in when he was shot?"

Dave motioned for Matt to follow him a few feet over. The spot where Dave led Matt was where Shawn had actually been shot. It made Matt's stomach lurch a little, at the sight of the poor child's blood covering the asphalt. "From what I've been told, the bullet penetrated his upper, left side… so I imagine he was standing like this," Dave paralleled himself in front of the puddle of blood.

Matt nodded once and looked to the left of him. _There are some bushes next to that building, _referring to the abandoned one on the left side of the theater_, but I don't think someone hid there and shot him. On the news, it was stated that there was no drive by shooting or frontal assault… so, _he looked up at the abandoned building's dark, faded windows_, someone had to have fired the shot from one of those windows. I don't see any other way of looking at it._

"Has anyone checked up there?" Matt asked, as he pointed up at the dark, unkempt building.

"Up there?" Dave questioned, as he now looked at the building across the lot as well. "Huh… I don't think so. You think whoever shot him was behind one of those windows?"

"Yeah, I do," Matt replied. His eyes were now holding a slight glare to them, as he imagined a dark figure creeping behind the blackened windows of the old building, just waiting to kill an unsuspecting figure… _But, wait, could L's theory actually be legit? This whole thing seems way too weird to just be a coincidence, now that I'm actually standing on the grounds of the crime scene._

"Hey, Matt?" Dave began, "I think you're on to something."

"Really," Matt stated, turning his head back to the older man.

"Yeah," Dave responded. "It hasn't been long since our investigation team came out here, but I don't think anyone's thought about looking up in that building yet. I'll have it checked immediately-"

"Hold on," Matt halted him, looking back up to the numerous windows on the building. "If you know, could you physically demonstrate where the bullet hit Shawn?"

Dave tilted his head at Matt's question. "Uh… sure. Let's see, if I'm remembering what the chief told me correctly… It was about here," he pointed to his upper, left side, where the left lung should be underneath.

"Okay," Matt nodded once, "Can you stand the way you were before, when you were demonstrating Shawn's standing pose?"

Dave silently moved his body back in front of the puddle of blood. Matt looked at Dave and then studied the windows of the abandoned building. His eyes focused on the highest and second highest sets of windows, out of the four sets. His eyes traveled back and forth between the two. He glanced at Dave once more and then back at the windows.

"It's just an assumption, but," Matt looked back at Dave now, "I think what you might be looking for could be on that building's top floor."

"You think so?" Dave looked up at the top floor's set of five windows.

"Yes," Matt answered. "I think the bullet could've come from either the first, second, or third window, from the right."

"Huh, yeah… yeah… I think you might be right," Dave said, nodding to himself. His voice revealed that he was impressed. "I'll have it checked out."

Matt nodded once in agreement. "I'm glad I could help somehow, but I've gotta go," he turned around to leave.

"Are you going to visit that boy, Shawn?" Dave asked.

"Yes," Matt simply answered, rotating his head back to the other detective slightly.

"Well, wait," Dave said, as he stuck his right hand out towards Matt. "I want to thank you for helping us out a bit. You were really quick."

Matt smiled respectfully, and shook Dave's hand. "No problem."

"Be sure to keep yourself updated, on the news," Dave told the brunette. "We're gonna catch that assailant!"

"I will," Matt told him, as he dropped his hand and began to run back towards his car. He then yelled back a quick, "Good luck," to the friendly detective.

He could hear the man shout a, "Thanks," back to him.

Matt reached his car, opened the door, and hopped in. He then pulled his cell phone out of his sleeveless, fleece jacket's side pocket, and swiftly used his quick dial list to alert Mello's cell phone.

* * *

"That must be Matt," Near said aloud, as Mello reached into his belt's cell phone holder. He took out the ringing device and looked at it.

"Yep, it's him," Mello then answered the call. "That was quick, Matt."

Near mentally nodded in agreement. He moved closer beside Mello, so that he could hear Matt as well.

"Yeah, I know," Matt replied, "but this wasn't really hard to figure out, and one of the detectives here was completely open with answering my questions."

"What did you come up with?" Mello asked him.

"There's an abandoned building right beside the theater," Matt began, retelling what he discovered. "Judging from the spot Shawn was shot at, and where the bullet hit him, I really think that the culprit, whoever it is, fired his or her gun from one of the top floor's windows."

"And the investigation team is going to search up there?" Mello questioned.

"Yes," Matt answered. He looked around him, seeing how he could pull out, "Anyway, I'm about to be back on my way there. Have you guys, at least, seen Shawn's parents yet?"

"No, not yet," Mello answered, his eyes narrowed a little, "but we'll be seeing them soon. Some officers are asking them a few questions about the incident, now. Just so there's less confusion, we're on the third floor… Oh, wait, I want to ask you something. Has a bullet been found, yet?"

"Bullet?" Matt replied, clearly confused. "You mean the bullet isn't inside of Shawn? That's what I thought, at least… No one told me anything about that, and I didn't hear anything said about one being found or not."

"Huh, that's weird," Mello thought aloud. "Anyway, thanks for going out there."

"Ah, no problem," Matt lightly responded, as he got his vehicle into the road. "I'm on my way, now. See you guys in a minute."

"See ya."

With that, the conversation ended.

"I'm sure you heard," Mello told Near, as he placed his phone back into its holder, "Matt's on his way."

"Yes," Near said, "I suppose we'll just continue to wait here, until we see those police officers walk by."

"Yep," Mello replied, as he leaned against the clean, white wall behind him. He breathed a light, quiet sigh. "It's just not right. That doctor said he wasn't sure Shawn would make it… I wonder if his parents know that."

"Probably so," Near solemnly responded, moving a little closer towards Mello. "I'm concerned for him, as well as the rest of his family."

"Yeah, me too… and, honestly, what I'm not looking forward to seeing is what the look on his mom's face will be," his stomach tightened at the thought. He really didn't want to see the crushed, distraught expression on Aretha's face. He knew it would be there.

Near silently looked at Mello's downcast expression. It was solid, yet… impressionable? Mello appeared to be torn between his emotions again. He had always known Mello to be a very passionate person, but Near only saw disturbed emotions whenever something truly seemed to be vexing him. The disturbance within Mello's eyes, right now, was more subtle, but it was clear that his feelings were in complete discomfort.

All of a sudden, two police officers passed them and headed towards the elevators. Near looked at Mello, asking him with his eyes if he was ready to go back there. He was still wondering why Mello was so tentative, as he usually responded to situations so quickly. _Is he really so anxious about going back there?_

Mello tried not to meet his youngest brother's gaze, as he pushed himself off of the wall and began to walk down the specified hallway. He could hear Near's soft footsteps echoing his and soon saw the albino walking on his right, out of the corner of his eye. _This isn't like you, Mello; hold yourself together!_ the blond internally told himself_, I don't know why I'm so nervous about this now. I wasn't feeling like this before… but that doesn't matter. I'm not going to be weak about this. I won't be and shouldn't be._

* * *

**Oh, Mello... always so stiff, yet so emotional... Even though he has only known of Shawn for two days, he really feels a connection with him and cares for the poor boy. I, myself, can picture Mello to be a person who has difficulty with seeing other people being so emotive, because of his own passionate nature. **

**The title "Detection" for this chapter means two things. Matt detected where Shawn's ****assailant ** was hiding (Go Matt! On a side note, I created a detective that is reminiscent of Matsuda XD), and there is a detection of emotions in Mello that Near can plainly see. Mello, himself, detects is unnerved feelings and is trying to rid himself of them.

**In the next chapter, Shawn's family will be brought back into focus, more frontally... I hope you all thought of this chapter as well written and well placed. As for the next chapter... I will share no secret.**

**Thank you, for reading.**


	8. Undaunted

**I now have chapter seven. Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing! I appreciate hearing the readers' thoughts.**

**The last chapter consisted of the viewing of the crime scene, by Matt, and the beginning of Near and Mello going to Shawn's parents. They not only to get a few answers, along with seeing them, but they all hope to see poor Shawn, as well, or at least hear good news. This chapter was a bit... difficult... to write, because of so many strong emotions I had to portray.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Undaunted**

* * *

As Matt continued his drive towards the hospital, he thought just one thing. Ever since he left the crime scene, he had been wondering about it. _I wonder if Dave, or someone else, found the bullet yet. Now that I think about it, Dave seemed to be looking for something when I got there… Was he looking for that bullet? If so, I find it weird that no one seemed to have found it yet. Then again, who's to say they didn't? Dave's the only one I talked to… Never mind that, I'll be at the hospital soon enough. Maybe we'll find out more about this bullet matter later._

* * *

As Mello and Near were turning the last corner down the hallway, the two came upon the waiting room. They could see, through its clear, glass walls, that it was a larger room. There, in the right-hand corner of the room, sat Shawn's parents. Aretha had her face hidden down into both of her hands, and Thomas held her small body against his in comfort. One of his large hands rested on top his wife's lap, as she continued to sob.

The two brothers were just standing there, watching the sad couple on their side of the glass barrier. Both felt sympathetic for them.

Mello was the closest to the door, so he put his hand on the handle, hesitating for a second before proceeding to turn it and push the door open. He walked through first, with Near following closely behind. Thomas and Aretha did not look at the room's entrance when Near and Mello had come in, so the two quietly made their way over to where the couple sat.

When they were close enough, Mello greeted them with a firm, yet vaguely uncomfortable, "Hello."

Thomas looked up first, his eyes looking up at the two brothers in slight surprise. "Oh… Mello, Near…"

Aretha now began to raise her head from her visibly shaking hands. Mello held his breath, as he saw the poor woman's distraught and teary face reveal itself. It was awful. Her eyes were red from the crying, and the tears had stained her rosy cheeks. A tiny amount of mascara residue was smudged below her glassy eyes. Mello felt sorrier for her then he had before, and Near felt likewise. Her expression was just so piteous… They could barely look at her.

"How did you know about… this?" Thomas asked them.

"There was a broadcast announcement of it," Near replied, purposefully not saying anything about the shooting, itself. He didn't want to say anything that might upset Aretha even more in her current state.

"We couldn't just stay home," Mello spoke next, "We had to come out here and see you all, for ourselves."

Thomas gave them both a smile of gratitude. "Thank you both, so much… but where's Matt?"

"He's actually on his way, now," Mello answered. "He dropped us off, because he had to check on something real quick."

Thomas nodded to that and offered the boys to sit in the empty chairs, in front of him and Aretha. Mello and Near both sat in those chairs.

"When will you be able to see Shawn?" Mello asked Thomas.

Aretha looked back down at her lap again. She didn't care about what her appearance was right now, but she hated for these two, nice boys to walk in and see her like this. Still, no one could ever begin to blame her for how she was feeling.

"I don't know," Thomas answered, sighing slightly. He briefly shook his head. "I'm… I'm worried, boys."

"We know," Mello responded, looking directly at the man. "And we're very sorry. Is there anything my brothers and I can do for you?"

"No, no, that's fine," Thomas replied, holding his wife closer to him, "Thank you."

"If I may… I would like to ask you a question or two, sir," Near suddenly told him. "It's about tonight… If it's too difficult for you to talk about, then please forgive my intrusion."

Mello glanced at Near. _He's going to ask about the incident from their perspectives, or why it would have happened. I, myself, want to know…_

"There's nothing to apologize for," Thomas assured him. "We had to do the same thing for some officers, before you two came here. If it helps us with anything, I'll certainly tell you."

Near nodded once. "All right then, I'll ask… Would there be any reason for anyone to come after your family? Are there any bad relationships your family may hold with someone?"

Thomas tilted his head slightly, his expression revealing confusion. "Well… no, not at all."

Near hummed in understanding. "Have either of you noticed strange occurrences, lately, then? Anything that would raise a red flag, for you? As in, perhaps, a notice of someone following you, for example."

Aretha was the one to answer this time. "N-No," she replied, wiping the tears away from her eyes, "There hasn't been anything like that, at all… That's why I just _don't_ get it." Her eyes held a mixture of bewilderment and anger, and she hid them into the palms of her hands again. She sighed to herself and shook head. "Why would someone want to hurt my baby?" she mumbled, slowly shaking her head and sighing.

Near didn't say anything more, after hearing her. He and Mello watched Thomas comfortingly rub his right hand across her back and whisper something to her. Neither boy concentrated on what he had said, for they did not want to eavesdrop.

"I didn't even see where the bullet came from," Thomas told the boys, as he made eye contact with them, once again. "I don't think anybody did…" his voice broke a little, "How could I _not_ see that happen? I feel like-"

"It's not your fault, sir," Mello quickly told him, feeling that that was what Thomas was going to say next. "Don't ever think that it is. What happened was _not_ your fault, nor was it anyone else's in your family."

Thomas looked at the blond teenager, then at the still silent Near. Near's eyes were firmly laid on Thomas's eyes, mentally telling the same thing as Mello just had. The older man looked away and quietly sighed. "You're right… You're right."

Mello breathed through his nose and settled into his cushioned chair a bit more.

"T-Thank you, boys," Aretha said, as she looked up into the young genius' eyes, "I felt like this was my fault… I felt that I should have known, somehow."

"Ma'am," Near began, "there is no way you could have known. This entire situation was out of your hands," his voice became more firm now, "This, what has happened to your son tonight, does not make you a bad mother," he glanced over at Thomas now, as well, "and it does not make you a bad father. Please don't put the burden on yourselves. The person who is responsible will pay his dues for what he has done. We will make sure of that."

Aretha and Thomas stared at the white haired teenager, soaking in what he had just said. Like a lot of parents might do, in a time of trouble or danger for their children, they may blame themselves—even if the situation was not, or is not, under their control. They had blamed themselves for what had happened to Shawn, thinking that they should have done something… but, really… what could they have done? It was an entirely unexpected ordeal.

Mello's lips twitched up into a very small smile. _I don't think I could've said it any better, Near. Maybe this will help them relax a little…_

All of a sudden, the waiting room's entrance door opened. The four occupants of the room turned around to see a familiar brunette.

"Matt," Thomas greeted him, "thanks for coming."

"Of course, sir," Matt replied, while walking over towards the small group and standing directly behind his brothers' seats. "I wouldn't not come."

"That's… v-very kind of you," Aretha shakily said, as she continued to try and compose herself a little more.

Matt nodded once, as he now gazed into the besieged eyes of this poor woman. His stomach and heart both tightened slightly, upon seeing her. _Ah… I can't imagine what kind of pain she's feeling inside._

The small group heard the waiting room's door open once again. This time, a doctor stood at its entrance. Mello and Near recognized him as the doctor they had spoken to before coming back here. The man still looked tired, but his expression told them that he was far from finished with what he was currently doing.

"Mr. and Mrs. Benedict," the doctor began, as he walked towards them, "your son has been placed into the infirmary, one floor down. You may all come and see him," he was, of course, also referring to Near, Mello, and Matt, "but, I must tell you that he is still unconscious and is hooked up to a ventilator. I don't know when he will come too. We're still trying to get more blood into his body, but that ventilator is what's keeping him alive."

Aretha shook briefly and let out a very quiet gasp. She, along with Thomas, never wanted to hear something like that… No parent should want to.

Near and Mello's eyes both narrowed slightly, while Matt's stomach clenched in nervousness to what the doctor had said. Would he, no, _could_ Shawn make it out of this?

_The fact that Shawn has survived, this long, is amazing, _Near thought._ When a person's lungs are damaged, in such a harsh way, that person should not be able to live for very long after. He's still here, so he just might pull through…_

* * *

The doctor, who went by 'Dr. Aiden', took the small group to the infirmary. The boys waited outside and allowed for Aretha and Thomas to go ahead without them first, so that the parents could see their son privately. The three brothers had been standing outside of the infirmary's doors—for nearly an hour—in silence, the entire time, until Matt spoke up.

First, Matt sighed and then turned his gaze towards the double doors' entrance, from his leaned position against the hospital wall, on the doors' left side. "Guys, not to sound like a downer, but… I've got a bad feeling."

"What do you mean?" Mello asked him, his eyes speculating his younger brother.

Near knew exactly what Matt was thinking and feeling. He was sure it went beyond what Mello could possibly be thinking, right now.

Matt kept his eyes fixed firmly on the door and exhaled deeply. "It's just… I don't want to say it out loud, but my chest," he raised a hand to the middle of his upper chest and clutched his jacket, "it… it's really heavy… It hurts," he looked at the ground now. "Are you guys feeling the same?"

Mello pushed himself away from his spot, beside Matt, on the wall and put himself directly in front of the brunette. "I'm _really_ trying to make myself dismiss those thoughts. I know this is bad, but we've gotta have more confidence in this!"

Near only lowered his gaze a little. _Mello… _

"I know, Mels, believe me, I know," Matt responded, looking at his older brother directly now, "But… I can't shake the feeling. It's not because I've given up hope on Shawn, but just think about what's happened to him. There's only so much a kid his age can take!"

"And I understand that," Mello retorted firmly, glaring slightly, "but can you imagine what his parents are feeling? This, what's happened to their son… You're right, saying that there's only so much he could possibly take, but I don't _want_ to even consider the fact that those people could lose their son…" he looked away from Matt and walked a few steps to look through one of the double doors' small, square windows. Across the white room lay Shawn—hooked up to that life-supporting ventilator, with thin tubes lying across the top of his small, bandaged chest. His parents were holding his hands. They were, what Mello could only make out, speaking to him. They were probably trying to coax the boy out of his unconsciousness with their familiar voices.

Matt looked away from Mello and slid down the wall, to the tiled floor. He still had his hand clutching his jacket's material, over his heart. Even his heart began to painfully ache now. He knew what had sparked the strong emotions that made him feel this way, though he could not find the proper words to identify with this emotion. The feeling was far beyond nervousness; he couldn't place that emotion into what he was feeling right now, for it would not fit. It was such a horrible, intense feeling that made Matt's stomach turn endlessly. _I want him to make it too, Mels; neither he, nor his family, deserves this… It's just… What I'm feeling is just so-_

Near suddenly tapped his left shoulder. Matt glanced beside him, as he saw that Near was now perched on the floor, to his level. Near stared into Matt's cerulean eyes, for a moment, before Near placed his hand over his heart.

"Oh," Matt lowered his voice, his tone sad, "You feel the same." He knew that's what his younger brother meant.

Near silently answered with a single, lowered motion of his head. His grey eyes traveled up to Mello, who had just declined his gaze from the window's portal of melancholy. _Mello, you know there's something wrong, too. We will all keep hoping for a good outcome, until the very end, but you can't deny this feeling we all share. I felt more certain about this whole thing earlier, but now…Why?_

Mello suddenly stepped back, as the infirmary's doors opened. Dr. Aiden stepped out of them and allowed for the doors to swing back quietly behind him. The doctor's expression was very solemn, as he looked up at Mello, first.

"Well?" Mello queried the man, his sharp eyes asking multiple, silent questions.

Matt helped Near to stand, as he, himself, began to rise from the floor. They were both waiting for the doctor to say something, as well.

Dr. Aiden glanced to the side for a second and breathed a light sigh. "Shawn wants to see the three of you."

Chills ran up all three of the boys' spines. Shawn was awake… and talking? One of his lungs had been shot through. How could he be talking already?

"He isn't speaking, as of yet," Dr. Aiden continued, clearing up that bit of information, "but he is responding very well to sound. His father asked if he wanted to see the three of you," he shook his head briefly and grinned slightly, "and I could see just how much excitement he was feeling, from the mention of all of your names."

All three of the teenagers looked at each other, and then back at the doctor.

"Can we go back there, now?" Mello asked him.

"Yes," Dr. Aiden answered. "Just be sure to not excite him too much. I had to calm his heart rate a little, before coming out here."

The left corner of Mello's mouth twitched up to form into a tiny smile. He knew he felt horribly about this whole ordeal, but just to hear that Shawn had gotten excited from hearing about him and his brothers' presences was comforting, somehow.

The doctor turned around and went through the doors first, with the three brothers following him into the infirmary. When they were in front of Shawn's bed, Dr. Aiden stepped aside and revealed the tiny boy lying there. At the moment, his eyes were closed and his chest's breathing movements were awkward and short.

Now that Mello was close enough, to see this in greater detail, it was even more surreal then it had looked before. This boy was fighting for his life—for reasons he did not know or understand—and had to have an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, to assist him in staying alive. All of a sudden, L's theory was seriously clicking into Mello's mind, because of this sight. _Could L be right? Did this happen because of me, maybe? Could someone be…N-No, that's ridiculous… isn't it? Why would someone take interest in following me, or, better yet, how would the person know me? Even so, that wouldn't give the person a reason to attack Shawn, right?_

Matt and Near, who had not looked through either of the doors' windows earlier, gazed down at Shawn with empathy. The both of them, then, followed their older brother to the bed's left side, while his parents were on the right. Both adults were seated in grey colored, cushioned chairs.

Near glimpsed at the two parents, as he stood in between Matt and Mello. Thomas was still holding himself together well enough, as he had been, but Aretha's face was now stained with more, fresh tears. Near quickly looked away from her and placed his eyes on Shawn. It was understandable, to him, as to why Aretha was crying so much. Not only was Shawn her son, but she had also been the one to carry him within her for nine months. The bond between mother and child was supposed to be something sacred. Not all mothers were as loving as Aretha, as Near would personally know, but he still felt that he was intruding on sanctified territory the longer he stood there. He had never experienced what the love of a mother was, and, for that, he felt out of place in the presence of this woman.

Mello took off his right hand's leather glove and placed his hand over Shawn's small hand, carefully avoiding the thin tubes. Almost immediately, Shawn's pulse quickened to the touch. It slowed back down again, as he opened his bright, peridot colored eyes to see Mello, Near, and Matt before him. The three brothers saw him weakly smile behind his clear, ventilator mask. He looked so… relieved.

Seeing this brought a little reassurance to Matt's soul, but that horrible feeling was still lingering within him. He tried ignoring it for now, as Shawn's eyes met his own. _He looks so happy… I don't know if it's just me, but… he also looks… kinda-_

Mello removed his hand, and Shawn then reached out to Near. He wanted to touch all of their hands, it seemed.

Near hesitated at first, but raised his right hand and took hold of Shawn's extended hand. A new wave of emotion flooded into Near's heart, as Shawn's grip faintly tightened around the teenager's alabaster hand. He felt… disturbingly calm… He tore his gaze away from his and Shawn's intertwined hands and looked upon the boy's face. Shawn seemed to be holding such an expression of serenity and significance… He had never seen such an expression before. To look this peaceful, right now… it wasn't right, and it bothered Near, but he couldn't help but form his lips into a soft smile, at seeing Shawn's twinkling, blissful eyes.

Near then gently let go of his grip on the boy's hand, and Shawn reached out to Matt. The brunette tenderly took the boy's hand, holding it within his own, bare hand. Like Near, he felt strange emotions that suddenly bombarded his heart. He swallowed lightly, as he now looked into Shawn's eyes. That horrible feeling of his, that he had had ever since he begun standing outside of the infirmary… had now vanished. The emotions Matt now held were tranquil, yet alarming. Still, he kindly smiled for the boy, squeezed his hand slightly, and allowed for his grip to fall.

Shawn continued to keep that weakened, but still very genuine smile of his to remain present on his face, as he reached out for Mello. Mello placed his hand, once again, on Shawn's and then held that hand. Shawn abruptly began to lightly tug Mello's hand, wanting for him to come closer. Mello was puzzled for a moment, but quickly realized what Shawn wanted. He lowered his face down closer towards the boy's head, seeing that Shawn was trying to tell him something.

"Don't strain yourself," Mello told him, as Shawn continued to try and speak through the mask. Near and Matt, as well as Thomas and Aretha, leaned in a little more towards Shawn.

Matt and Near moved a bit closer behind Mello, so that they could try to see what Shawn was trying to say. All three of them intensely stared at Shawn, as he began to carefully, yet slowly, annunciate his words. A little bit of Shawn's voice was audible, the more the brothers crowded in around him.

"I… knew it," Shawn said, his half-opened eyes still completely focused on the trio.

"Knew what?" Mello asked, a look of confusion crossing into his features. He couldn't really hear the boy's voice, but he, as well as Matt and Near, could plainly see that that was what he had said.

"I… knew," Shawn sounded out, "that I… would see you… guys… again… before…"

The three brothers still understood his words and continued to watch and listen closely. Thomas and Aretha did not know what Shawn was talking about, but observed all of the boys' faces in silence. They were frozen to where they sat, as they watched.

Shawn didn't continue with what he was saying before and began with another sentence. "I saw… a glowing lady… while I… was sleeping."

_What?_ the brothers all thought, at those words.

_What is he saying?_ Mello questioned himself, as a cold chill swept underneath his skin.

Shawn serenely continued on, as he could tell that the teenagers were still following along. "She said… that I… shouldn't worry… and… I'm not."

At seeing those words pronounced, Matt began to feel his heart pounding within his chest. _Is he saying… what I think he's saying?_

"I… already know," Shawn tiredly kept on, his smile unwavering, "what will… happen… soon… and I'm… not scared."

Near's eyes became wide at this statement. _He's resigning himself._

Mello, whose hand was still clamped around Shawn's, tightened the grip in surprise. "Shawn…"

Shawn's expression seemed to waver a little.

"Hey… Shawn…" Matt started, unable to finish. So this would truly be the symbolism of those negative feelings…

"Shawn, can you still hear us?" Near asked the fragile boy, as he could see that Shawn's breathing was diminishing, and his eyes were becoming more exhausted. _Can the ventilator not help him? He's fading so quickly…_

Shawn jadedly nodded once, in response. "I'm just… so happy that… I could… see," his vision began to fade, and his eyes began to close, "my friends… again." He took a final look into all of their faces, as his chest's strange breathing pattern slowed down. His eyes then began to dull and soon closed. His hand fell limply in Mello's hand, and the blond unconsciously let go of it in shock.

Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. The heart monitor sounded its unwanted, flat-line noise, doctors and nurses piled around them, and attendants began to usher the boys, as well as Aretha and Thomas, out of the infirmary. Aretha screamed in horror, as she kept trying to go back. Mello, while being pushed out, rotated his head around and caught one last glimpse of Shawn before a doctor blocked his view. Soon enough, all five of them were outside of the infirmary again, left by themselves.

Mello, who was still in an unexplained state of shock, looked over at Thomas and Aretha. Aretha had buried herself into Thomas's arms and was wailing loudly and uncontrollably, shouting "My baby!" over and over. Thomas, who could no long hold his composure, was now visibly sobbing into his wife's hair.

Mello looked away, unable to watch them anymore, and turned to look at his brothers. Neither one of them could say anything; they could only stare back at Mello in silence. They were all at a loss for words on what had just happened. What Shawn had said, how calm he was, the short blur of events that just flew by…

That state of unreal astonishment stayed with them, until Dr. Aiden walked through the infirmary's doors again.

Thomas and Aretha turned to him, as he approached the two. Mello, Near, and Matt got closer to them, as well. Mello still didn't want to believe that whole scene had just so recently happened. He didn't want to believe that Shawn might have just… No, not might have. All three of the brothers knew exactly what Dr. Aiden was going to say.

Dr. Aiden sadly shook his head, as he made eye contact with Shawn's parents.

"I'm sorry… We couldn't save him."


	9. The Beginning of the End

**I am finally here with the eighth chapter (studying hard for my math classes and working on other projects). I thank everyone who is still reading and reviewing this story of mine; it is very appreciated. You are all great!**

**The last chapter... Poor Shawn lost his life. I did not want to do that to the poor child, and it broke my heart to do it to him (I deliberated with myself on it for awhile), but it was not for nothing. You shall see. The only good thing in his death is that Shawn died without fear. That is where the previous chapter's title comes from. "Undaunted" is another way of saying words like 'fearless' and 'unafraid'. Shawn passed peacefully, surrounded by his loving parents and new, true friends. He was and _is _truly all right.**

**As for Vince... Would anyone care to see that man fall, in the future? Be hurt himself, die even? You will know, eventually, if that monster gets what is coming to him.**

**This next chapter will now begin. I hope it is enjoyed.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**The Beginning of the End**

* * *

The announcement of Shawn's passing was broadcast the very same night he had been shot. The television within Vince's and Adem's hideout was playing, as the news of his death was aired.

At hearing that the boy was dead, Vince allowed for a maniacal grin to slowly spread onto his features. He knew it wouldn't take long for the kid to die. He was positive that this would hurt Mihael. Vince did not know the relationship between Mihael and Shawn, and he didn't care. All he knew was that this new death, in Mihael's life, would get to him. Oh, how he wished he could have seen Mihael's face, for himself… He knew he would get to see the boy soon enough, as he now knew exactly where Mihael and his brothers lived. _My heart is beating so quickly; I can barely contain the excitement! This little 'unfortunate death' is only the beginning, for dear Mihael…_

Adem, who was sitting in front of the television along with Vince, frowned and inwardly sighed. _No, not the kid… I can't imagine what the feeling of a parent losing their child is like._ He lowered his gaze from the screen._ That's why I have to keep working under this monster. I don't want to feel that pain either. As much as I'm against this, I have to keep on going… for my son, and myself._

* * *

Before his sons came home from the hospital, L saw the televised news of Shawn's death. He was convinced that this all was not a coincidence; especially after knowing of this boy's death. He had not even been around the child, or viewed the surroundings when Mello had first gone to that beach, and, yet, he was still positive that someone was after Mello. He prayed that there would not be more tragedy to follow these assumptions, for he believed a silent war had now begun.

* * *

A few days later, on the evening of Shawn's pre-burial visitation, a large bundle of white roses, lilies, and dendrobium orchids were placed around the young boy's casket. Who were they from? The ones who Shawn considered to be his dear friends: Mello, Near, and Matt.

The three brothers came to the visitation, all dressed a little more formally than usual. They all wore equally matching, black attire and adorned somber expressions.

They gave their sincerest sympathies to Thomas and Aretha, and the couple earnestly thanked the boys for being there and for truly being concerned and caring. Aretha individually embraced all three of them out of gratitude, for making her son happy, even at his time of death.

The teenage boys then gave their final, inner respects to Shawn, upon seeing his quiet body lying in the open casket. Even though Shawn's soul was no longer within his body's shell, they could all still sense his joyful, childish presence lingering around them. The only thing that even gave Mello, Near, and Matt any sense of comfort in this, was that Shawn had died peacefully and without a single trace of fear… It was still wrong to look at, of course. A parent, or parents, should never have to bury their child; it was supposed to be the other way around. To look at this young boy, lying lifeless in this casket… It just wasn't supposed to be this way.

After saying their goodbyes to Aretha and Thomas, the three left the funeral home. They would not attend the funeral, for they had more to investigate now. They had all sworn, together, that they would catch the person or persons responsible for Shawn's death… and Near now fully believed that, whoever committed the act, was the same man Mello had run into at the beach. He even believed, more so now than before, that it was Vince, the murderer of Mello's parents.

It was still an outrageous, one in a million hypothesis to Near, but he kept leaning towards the idea of it being Vince because, if the man at the beach was responsible for Shawn's death, than what would be the point of even killing the child at all? It wouldn't seem very likely for a stranger to suddenly kill someone, because Mello was with him, unless there was a true motive behind the act… or a sick mind game… After what Mello had told him about Vince, over two years ago, it wasn't such a long stretch for him to think that the man would be capable of this; he was cunning enough to even escape the responsibility of Mello's parents' deaths and disappear. If it _was_ Vince… maybe he wasn't finished with Mello after all, even though he had allowed him to live.

That thought, in itself, actually terrified Near. The thought of losing Mello… it wasn't going to happen. He, L, Matt, and Mello would catch whoever was responsible, and no one was going to lose their life. This battle would be theirs to win.

* * *

The news of Shawn's murder quickly spread across L.A., as well as the rest of the country. It was broadcast, within a matter of days, that the investigation of the vacant building—beside the AMC Santa Monica 7 theater—was fruitless. Every room, behind all of the windows, was thoroughly inspected (even though it was more likely the shot was fired from a top window) and there was no indication of anyone ever being there. No finger prints, shoe prints, or hair fibers had been found. It was as if it had been left untouched, since the very day the building had been uninhabited.

As for the missing bullet, it was never found. The area was combed for it, but the investigation team soon realized that the bullet had, somehow, passed through a small, circular vent opening on the concrete lot. The vent, which was only a mere, two feet from where Shawn stood, had a few, minuscule dots of blood rimming the inner edge of the vent's opening. That told the investigators that the bullet had plummeted directly through it, with no problem. When the vent's opening was peered into, through the assistance of a flashlight, there was only slightly flowing water underneath. When the vent's top was removed for a full inspection, there was no bullet to be found. The team specified that the bullet was probably constructed of a more light-weight material and disappeared within the water's small current.

Because of this, there was no evidence to track down anyone, and it was obvious that the whole ordeal had been completely planned out. Because of this, L and his sons were now more than sure that this act was done by the same criminal who had been able to avoid the police's careful watch. It had to be the same, unnamed thief and murderer of the reports of Mid-Cities National Bank, Los Angeles National Bank, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

L and Near, in particular, still believed that someone was following Mello. Matt, too, now understood that could very well be true. Near, however, was still the only one who knew about the man at the beach, and was still the only one suspecting that there was a possibility of that man being Vince. Unlike him, Mello had not thought of the possibility of it being Vince; he had never thought about him, at all. He had come to the realization that the man at the beach could be a suspect, but he had only seen him that one time. He wasn't very positive of it, but, because of the suggestion that someone could be following him, he too felt that he was responsible for Shawn's death. Obviously, he wasn't the one to physically kill him, but, if Shawn had never met him to begin with, he would, more than likely, still be alive...

Mello sat on the end of his mattress, staring out of his room's window, as he thought about these things. The small glimpse of late sunlight, he could see, was beginning to disappear behind some larger buildings. He thought of Shawn's parents, since their son's funeral was held the previous day. After the murderer was caught, Mello would remind himself to visit the boy's grave site, with Matt and Near.

His mind now wandered back to the topic of why the crime was even committed. He couldn't really pin anyone, besides the man he saw one time… There was no way he could possibly track him down; he didn't know the man's name, whereabouts, or anything else necessary to find him. All he knew was that he felt uncomfortable in that man's presence. That was enough of a red flag for Mello anyway, but, still, why would some creepy stranger suddenly take interest in following him? He had been asking himself this for awhile, and he couldn't think of a way to expand on the thought.

All of a sudden, Mello heard his room's door open. He didn't need to turn around; he could already tell who it was by the soft footsteps and still atmosphere.

"Near," Mello acknowledged his youngest brother, not turning his head away from the sunlit window.

"Mello," Near addressed him back, standing beside Mello's sitting form. "You've been up here for awhile."

Mello only responded with a slight nod of his head, still not removing his gaze from the window.

Near looked out of the window now, too. The sun would soon be gone for the night. He looked back down at Mello, whose hair was vaguely illuminated by the last glows of the setting sun. He then went back to watching the sun disappear, along with Mello, in silence. After it had completely gone down, and the sky began to reveal its darker hues of color, Mello spoke.

"I suppose you're here to tell me not to blame myself, for what happened to Shawn, right?"

Near looked down at Mello again. Mello was now returning the gaze, but his eyes were very tired. He almost sounded monotone, when he had finally spoken.

"No, I'm not," Near answered, as he walked around Mello to sit down on the mattress, beside him. "You should already know to not blame yourself. I'm here for a different reason."

"What would that reason be?" Mello asked, his voice still sounding worn.

Near hesitated for a moment, thinking of how he could word what he was about to say correctly. He didn't want to bring this up to Mello at all, but it seemed essential now… Perhaps, he should start out slow and then build up to the conclusion.

"Mello… have you told L, or even Matt, about the man you saw at the beach?"

"… No, I didn't," Mello responded, trying to recall why he hadn't. "I guess, after talking about it with you, I didn't see any need to… I've recently begun thinking more about him, though."

"Really?" Near questioned, their eyes still meeting one another's. "I have asked this before, but do you have any idea as to who he may be?"

Mello broke the gaze and looked at the window again. "No."

In thought, Near raised his right hand to his hair and began to twirl one of its strands. "Nothing, and you're positive of that? Do you even have an idea of why this man, if he had, would suddenly take interest in following you and murder someone?" _Mello's mind really must be blocking out the truth, as he had put it the other day. I really don't want to tell him my theory…I want him to figure it out, on his own._

"M'positive," Mello quietly replied. "Those are all of the questions I've been trying to answer for myself. I can't think of why this would just happen, and there's no one I know who would have done it."

"You're sure of this. You cannot think of one, single person who would try to target you?" _Can your mind be unlocked by itself, Mello?_

"Yes," Mello answered wearily, resting his head into his hands. He had not gotten much sleep within the past few days. He truly _could_ fall asleep, now…

Near stopped twirling his hair and lightly shook Mello's shoulder, seeing that the blond was beginning to nod off. Mello raised his head out of his hands and fully looked at Near again. "What?"

"I'll ask one more time," Near began, his hand still on his brother's shoulder, "Are you really sure that you don't know that man?"

Mello sighed lowly, as he rolled his eyes. "_Yes_, Near, I don't think I know that man. Why are you being so persistent?"

_Here it comes, _Near thought. _He can't unlock his mind by himself, so it appears that I'll have to be the key. _"Mello, you, yourself, said that this man's stare was familiar to you, even though you couldn't see his eyes."

Mello raised a brow. "That doesn't mean I actually know him, though. For all I know, he could've mistaken me for someone else. If he did do what happened to Shawn," his tone was a bit angrier now, and he looked down at his lap, "than he's a deranged, sick lunatic on the loose, looking for unsuspecting people to torment."

"… You've met someone like that, before."

Mello's eyes completely shot open, and he froze. _Where… did that statement come from?_ His face turned towards Near once again, only to see the boy's eyes glimmer in apologetic fortitude. "Near… what are you getting at?"

Near's shoulders relaxed a little. "Mello, you said that your mind seemed to be blocking out the truth of that man. Only you would know who he really is… Piece the puzzle together; you know that you know him."

Mello was speechless, as he stared back at his brother. Piece the puzzle together… _He's right, I did say those things…but is he really so sure as to say that I know that guy. I said his stare was familiar and that I felt uncomfortable. Again, I had said it was like my mind was block…_blocking_…_!

The images of his memory abruptly placed a picture of Vince before his eyes. His body reacted to the sudden image, through a visible shiver. _N-No… that isn't possible, right? _Right_?_ His head began to spin. The puzzle had come together; everything was clear. The way the man at the beach had actually looked was, now that Mello thought of it, very similar. Even if his eyes were covered, and it had been ten years, the facial structure was exact and the hair color was mostly the same. Mello's physical imagery of Vince, on that bloody night, had never faded. There were no doubts that it was him, now that he understood! Vince had done this to Shawn! He was back… and he had purposely made himself known!

"Mello," Near tried to get the blond's attention. He knew Mello had finally realized it was Vince, because of the intense blaze of hatred swirling into Mello's eyes. His hands, which were balled on top of his lap, were shaking and so tightly clenched that his knuckles had become pallid. He looked like he was about to crack! "Mello… Mello-"

"It _was _him!" Mello shouted, rising to his feet. He whirled around to the dresser, in front of the bed's lower frame, and slammed his fist onto its wooden surface. "_How_… How did I not _see_ that?"

"Mello, calm down," Near told him, as he quickly got to his feet and stood behind his brother. "Mello, please calm down. Getting worked up over this won't help you."

"Calm down? How can I possibly calm down?" Mello harshly retorted, snapping his head towards his youngest brother. "It's him, Near! You've known about this longer than me, and you weren't even there! I don't understand how we could just… just run into each other, after all this time!"

Near placed his hands around each of Mello's shoulders, trying to settle the blond down and prevent him from doing something violent. He knew Mello's reaction would become worse, if he didn't try to coax him a little. "I know, Mello, it must be an unbelievable thought to grasp, but-"

Suddenly, something crashed through the room's window. In a quick reflex to the noise, Mello grabbed Near around his waist and lunged out of the way. Both boys fell to the floor, nearly hitting the opposite wall. They were just centimeters away from the shards of glass that were spread out all over the floor and bed.

_What… just happened here,_ Near thought, as he looked back at the window with wide eyes. His heart was now pounding from the shock of this unexpected happening.

Mello, whose arms were still wrapped protectively around Near, deeply breathed in and out at what lay before them. His emotions were now a mixture of anger, astonishment, and disturbance. He stared at the shattered window, and then glanced to the right of him and Near. There, lay what had broken the window: a medium-sized rock that had something tied to it. _What the-_

"What's going _on_?" Matt yelled, as he and L both ran into Mello's room. "There was a crash, and… whoa." He stared at the totally broken window, wondering exactly what his brothers were. _What _happened_?_

L quickly moved past Matt and knelt down beside Mello and Near. "Are you both all right?"

"Y-Yes," Near answered, "but, Mello, are you-?"

"I'm fine," Mello cut in, staring angrily at the window. "I'm not hurt."

"Good," L said, obviously relieved. He quickly noticed the rock lying on the other side of his sons, and he also caught eye of what was attached to it. Before the detective could say anything about it, Mello let go of Near, got to his knees, and picked up the rock. He eyed it hatefully, already knowing who had thrown it.

Near now got to his knees, too. Seeing the folded paper attached to the rock, he already knew who had thrown it. He was sure that Mello knew, as well.

"I don't see anyone," Matt reported, from the broken window. He had maneuvered himself around the debris of glass and was still looking through the newly created hole. "Whoever it was is gone now." He turned around, viewing the rock in Mello's hand. "That's what was thrown."

Mello nodded once, beginning to undo the strings around the rock.

L leaned in closer, feeling worried now.

Matt began to carefully make his way back towards his father and brothers, as the folded paper fell from the loosened strings. Mello picked it off of the floor, set the rock down, and started to unfold the, what appeared to be, a note. His heart's pace began to quicken, and his fingers trembled, as he fumbled with the paper. That, in itself, angered him. He couldn't even control his nerves!

Near, as well as L and Matt, could see this; however, Near was the only one who had an idea of what this note would say and who it would be from.

Mello had now gotten the paper to unfold, and he saw the small message written on it… That small, cryptic and unsettling message read:

_It's the beginning of the end. You will not see me tonight, but soon you shall. Be prepared for that meeting, Mihael Keehl._

_-V._

That clinched it. Mello's eyes widened in ferocity, as his gaze settled on the 'V.'. He wanted to scream, out of absolute anger and loathing. Near was right. Vince had been there all along. He wasn't surprised Vince knew his name; the man knew his father's and mother's names, so why wouldn't he know his name too? He clasped the pale colored paper in his hands, thinking about what could possibly happen now.

Near narrowed his eyes at the words, though he was also not surprised at seeing 'Mihael Keehl' included into the note, either. From what was written, it appeared that this man would do something horrible to Mello… His chest tightened at the thought of harm coming to his oldest brother.

L and Matt, who were not on the same wavelength as Near and Mello, stared and gaped at the note, feeling afraid that Mello's true name had been discovered. L's theory was true! There was someone after their son and brother!

"We've got to get out of here," L stated urgently, standing to his feet. "Now that we truly know someone is after you, we must leave."

Matt agreed, glancing back at the window as he stood up. His lips faintly quivered, thinking about what this 'V.' guy was planning for his brother.

"L, Matt," Mello stiffly began, as he and Near both stood up along with them, "I already know who this is, and so does Near… Near was the one to remind me of who it was."

"What do you mean?" L asked him, his eyes studying him and Near.

"You all know who killed my parents," he held up the crumpled note in his hand. "This man, 'V.', is Vince. There's no doubt." Mello watched their expressions immediately change from confused to understanding, though they were obviously still shocked.

L reacted slowly, sighing and leaning up against the wall. There was no need to over think this; it _was_ Vince. Mello and Near were both sure of this, and it wasn't too outlandish to happen, actually. L knew about Mello's ordeal, when the boy had first been taken in at Wammy's. He knew about most of the children's backgrounds, and why they were at the orphanage. He remembered Mello's case perfectly... Why would this man suddenly target Mello? He did not know what was between Mello and Vince, but he still knew they would have to be careful. They still had to leave their current residence, regardless.

Matt was aware of Vince, for Mello had told him about his parent's murders a long time ago. It was a scary fact, though, that this man had suddenly come back into Mello's life again. It was the truth, but extremely hard to grasp.

"Vince was there at the beach," Mello steadily, yet angrily, stated, moving past his family and towards the wrecked window. His bare feet glided around the broken glass. "Vince shot Shawn and killed him," he now stood in front of the window, staring down into the dark, empty streets below. "And he's behind all of the other crimes that have taken place recently. There is no other way of looking at it… The fact that he's come across me is purely coincidental…" he sighed, "We've got a war ahead of us."

The rest of his small family watched and listened to him. They all knew who the culprit was now, behind everything that had been happening. When thought about, in full, everything was linked back to one person who could not be caught. Vince was surely the one… The new realization, to L and Matt, was more bad than good. While L was almost always so strongly indomitable with all of his cases, he felt very small within this one. It wasn't just because this matter involved his eldest son, but he knew absolutely nothing about Vince, on how to begin searching for him… He couldn't. They were all sitting ducks and had no choice but to wait. Whatever happened would be up to Vince's decisions. They just had to find some way to prevent this whole issue from getting more out of hand. First of all, they had to get out of this neighborhood. He didn't know if it would help much, but L was determined to prevent another tragedy; especially if it were to involve Mello, or any of his sons. What if Vince had seen all of them, already?

Near was guessing on how Mello would deal with all of this. He didn't know what would happen next, but he was certain that Mello was thinking about acting on this. He was afraid… Afraid for Mello, afraid for the future… afraid of what Vince might do to his brother.

Mello, who was still glaring out of the room's busted window, tightly clenched the note within his hand and cursed under his breath. He felt stupid for not realizing any of this sooner—that Vince was back. He wasn't going to question how this happened, but all he knew was that he had to take his enemy down.

_No matter what…_ Mello thought, through gritted teeth_, I'll _kill_ him! Go ahead, Vince, come at me! Throw anything at me! I'll get you, yet…_ he thought of his parents and Shawn, having to die by this unholy man's hand. _You… will finally pay for everything you've done… Prepare for the beginning of _your_ end. _

* * *

_**And **_**here comes Vince, even more so than before. Shawn's death was to get Mello's attention, to hurt him. This note he threw through the window... The war began officially, when Vince shot and murdered Shawn, but now the war is in full, fledged flight. This is going to become much worse and very quickly, soon enough.**

**Poor Adem, too, he just wants to have his son back. Adem has a very big soft spot for children, young ones, so knowing about Shawn's death really hurts his heart. Also, he hates having to go after Mello, for the same reason. Mello is sixteen, here, but he is still very much a child.**

**I hope the pre-burial visitation (very saddening and dark for me, personally, since it was a child who was killed) and informative sections of this chapter were good, as well as the conversation between Mello and Near. I wanted to convey everything well in this, and make it all as clear and realistic as possible.**

**I will post the next chapter soon enough. Thank you all, for reading.**


	10. Fear

**In the previous chapter, Mello not only realized who that man had been, but received a message from the villain himself. Through this message, Vince informed Mello to keep his eyes open and be ready for their future encounter. Because Vince is ahead of the game, he could easily keep tabs on Mello. Now that L and the boys have no choice but to move and regroup, will it change up Vince's plans? No, not necessarily... He did make himself known on purpose, after all. It is "The Beginning of the End", in Vince's mind. Though, you have to wonder, what _is _Vince's idea of the 'end'?**

**Before I move on with the story, I want to, again, thank those who have chosen to click on this story and even review it positively. Thank you all, so much!**

**Without further delay, here is the ninth chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Fear**

* * *

Arrangements were made, that very night, for L and his sons to completely leave the premises of their temporary apartment, in Wilshire Boulevard. L partially explained why they had to move to a select few agents in L.A. Those agents, under L's orders, escorted them to a new, slightly larger apartment complex (it contained four floors, rather than two), ironically located in Santa Monica and agreed to keep a watchful eye out for anyone who resembled Mello's description of Vince: a man who was, most possibly, in his mid to late thirties, around five feet and nine to ten inches tall, was slim, had white skin, and semi-long black hair, with a line of grey running through the front.

It was a very specific list of physical characteristics, but Mello, as well as the rest of his family, was incredibly certain that Vince would not be so stupid as to show himself around their new, temporary abode. That is 'if' he knew where they were. If he did know, which L strongly considered, than he may slip up and reveal himself. Vince was a multifarious man of many schemes and had been able to keep himself invisible within the crimes committed (As in, no evidence could still be found; not even the note Vince sent had fingerprints on it). L knew how hard all of the different investigation teams of L.A. were working on these multiple cases, but there was really nothing more that could be done. They could keep searching, if they wanted to, but L was already certain that the results of every investigation would turn out with the same results: nothing. He didn't like the approach he would have to use here, but all he could really do was monitor anything he could through video surveillance, around their new apartment. He had microscopic cameras placed around every opening he could possibly think of; he didn't want there to be a single blind spot.

The great detective was not about to lose, even though the situation was not in his favor. He would keep thinking of more ways he could out-think this guy and keep the secret agents that he, himself, had selected ready on any kind of alert. Even though this whole situation made him uneasy, L was mentally prepared for anything this Vince may try to dish out. He was not going to lose something as precious as his sons' lives to this maniacal man.

* * *

Secluded within an abandoned warehouse, Vince sat in front of a computerized screen and wildly grinned at what he saw. On the screen was a complete GPS tracker system, and what Vince viewed was two, moving, red and blue arrows that simultaneously traveled from Wilshire Boulevard to Santa Monica.

Before Vince had thrown the rock through Mihael's window (he knew which window to throw it in, for he had spied on the residence a few days beforehand), he had skillfully and quietly slipped into the apartment's small garage. Though guarded surprisingly well—with security systems and arrangements that Vince did not expect of a few, teenage boys—getting inside was mere child's play, for him. His hacking abilities were practically perfect, after all. Once inside, he attached two, miniature trackers on the motorcycle and car he had seen a few days previous. He was sure to quickly, and securely, hide them well. From doing that, he could now figure out where Mihael and his brothers would be living and have the ability to follow them whenever he could. However, at the moment, Vince, nor Adem, would be making any advances towards any of their targets, just yet. First, Vince had to discover how he would and could get to them. He was certain that their guards would be completely up, this time around.

He smirked, thinking about how much enjoyment his plans for the future were going to give him. He even wondered if Mihael, himself, was sweating from the fear of waiting or not. Regardless of whatever Mihael was thinking, now, Vince knew the turnout would be fun and satisfying…

* * *

"No… Don't… D-Don't shoot… _Stop_!"

Mello bolted upright, in his bed. Hyperventilating, he looked to the left and then right of his room. It was dark, empty, and quiet… He fell back onto his pillow, breathing out a sigh of relief.

The nightmare felt so real. Vince had broken into their apartment… and mercilessly killed L, right in front of him. With the sound of one gunshot, L had fallen to the floor. The bullet Vince fired had successfully driven itself into the ebony haired detective's chest. A spray of blood splashed onto Mello's shirt, some of it marking his face and hair, and he had dropped to his knees. Mello dared to look at his father, seeing that a pool of crimson had already begun to form underneath the fallen, unmoving man…

Mello quivered lightly and tightly squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget that horrible image. He knew that scene had obviously represented his parents' murders, but did it have to be so crystal clear?

What happened next in the nightmare was equally as frightening. Matt and Near then appeared and saw the cruel scene of their father's murder lying before them. Near slumped to the floor, beside Mello's distraught, kneeling form. His expression had been filled with the utmost shock. Matt, who was shaking from the sudden daze and rage of it all, unconsciously took a step towards Vince. Mello began to tell his brother to get back, but it was too late. Vince, with no hesitation, shot Matt down with a single bullet to his heart.

Mello had watched in mute horror as the brunette collapsed to the carpeted floor, flat on his back, and did not move again. Near let out a stunned gasp of terror; his eyes were wide and fearful. Mello gritted his teeth together, clenching his eyes shut from the obscene sight in front of him and his last, surviving brother. He began to hear footsteps approach them. Mello looked up and hatefully glared into Vince's murky, cold eyes.

Mello cursed Vince and swore that he would make him regret ever coming here and killing his family again. Vince only smirked and let out a baleful chuckle. He then said, to Mello's realized horror, "One remains."

Mello knew Vince was talking about Near. Mello, who was trying to regain feeling into his numb body, threw himself in front of his shivering, younger brother. Vince laughed nastily at Mello's action. He fully kicked the blond out of the way. Mello tumbled a few, short feet to the side. He scrambled to his feet and attempted to punch Vince's face. Vince thwarted the action by smacking Mello's jaw with his pistol. Mello's head snapped to the side, and he found himself falling to the floor. He hit the floor with a thud, and his vision temporarily weakened. He was in a daze, but soon snapped out of it when he heard the light huff of Near's scared gasp.

Mello turned his head all of the way around. Vince was halfway knelt to the floor. One of his arms was encircled around Near's throat, and he held the boy very closely to his body. His free hand was holding the gun up against the right side of Near's head.

Mello's eyes widened into a flustered expression, at seeing Near's petrified face. "No… Don't," he pleaded, as he slowly began to move towards them.

Vince evilly grinned and pressed the gun even harder against Near's head. Near outwardly flinched at this. Mello saw what was gearing towards happening and stopped moving. He didn't know what to do; his emotions were completely overwhelmed! He couldn't just sit there and allow Vince to kill the remaining person of his family! He couldn't bear to go through it all again. He hoped Vince would make a deal with him, and let Near live… Vince began to put pressure on the pistol's trigger.

Mello, hearing the unsettling click of the trigger, lunged forward. "D-Don't shoot!"

Vince then removed his fortified arm away from Near's head and swiftly knocked Mello in his ribs. Mello toppled over, once again, and fell on his right side. He held his midsection and stared up into the eyes of his doe-eyed brother. The gun was pressed against Near's temple again, and the trigger was about to be pulled. Mello turned his gaze towards Vince. The man's eyes were malicious and full of the intent to kill. The trigger was clicking closer and closer towards another death.

"_Stop_!" Mello futilely yelled, reaching up towards Vince's arm… Blood splatter was the final thing Mello saw within the twisted delusion, before waking up.

Mello was trying to settle down, but his body was trapped inside of a current state of fear. He couldn't stop shaking at those realistic images, which had been portrayed so ruthlessly before him. He didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but he was afraid. He was truly afraid of Vince's capability to kill so easily.

It had only been two days since he and his family had moved into this new, temporary apartment, and tonight was the first time he had allowed himself to truly fall asleep in days. Mello knew he was paranoid, always feeling that Vince was lurking nearby… He did not necessarily fear for his own life to be taken, by Vince, however. He was more afraid of the idea of losing anyone in his family. If Vince really had taken any of their lives… he didn't know what he would do.

After quietly lying in his room's dark atmosphere, all the while trying to settle his overly beating heart, Mello looked at his alarm clock's red, glowing time depiction. _2:47 A.M… It's early, but I know I'm not going back to sleep._

He took a deep breath, sat up in his bed, and rubbed his right hand across his eyes. He looked at his room's window, remembering what had happened two days previous. He was on a higher floor than he had been in the old apartment, so it didn't seem very likely that another rock would hurl its way into his room. _Unless Vince has a good throwing arm…_ but, then he wondered… _Does Vince know where I am?_ Vince knew where they lived, before. Everyone knew that Vince had seen Mello, and most possibly Near and Matt, and followed him home somehow. If he knew or not, at this moment, it didn't really matter; Mello knew Vince would carry out the words that he had written onto that note—that he would see him very soon… and to be 'prepared'. Again, the thought of that message gave Mello a feeling of nervousness.

_No, I won't give into my nerves anymore,_ he told himself. _I shouldn't worry, if I already know he'll cross paths with me… That doesn't make any of this better._

Mello shook his head, threw back his bed's covers, and got out of the bed. He stood up, glancing at the window once more, and walked towards the room's door. He silently opened the room's door and stepped out into the hallway. It was certainly wider than the one in their previous apartment. His room was at the very end of the corridor, and, to the left, there was a small staircase that would bring him a floor down, to the third floor, and then the kitchen area.

He began to walk down the hallway, regrettably feeling like a small child who was afraid of monsters in the dark. Mello sped up his pace a tiny bit, gliding past Matt's and Near's closed-door rooms, and to the staircase. He quickly walked down them, careful not to make any noise. L was, more than likely, still awake and he didn't want to disturb him either.

Soon enough, Mello's bare feet touched the bottom of the stairs. To his right, there was a small den and on his left was the kitchen's entrance. He walked into the kitchen's dim atmosphere and headed over towards the refrigerator. He opened its lower door, allowing for the comforting, refrigerator light to brighten a small portion of the room.

_This is so stupid,_ thought Mello, as he reached into the chilled, storage compartment and grabbed one of his chocolate bars._ I'm never this uptight, and I shouldn't be! Am I _really_ going to let a silly thing like paranoia beat me? _He ripped off the upper half of his chocolate bar's wrapper and took a frustrated bite out of the candy._ Pathetic…_

He closed the refrigerator, darkening the area once again. Mello turned around, to go back to his room, but walked right into someone else. He choked on his chocolate, gasping, as he slammed himself back into the refrigerator's door. Before he could shout about there being an intruder, the other person quickly spoke up.

"_Whoa_, Mels, it's me!"

"M-Matt?" Mello coughed, his heart beat's loud thump sounding in his ears. "What... W-What are you doing up?"

"I came down to get some water," he answered. "You seem… tense."

"Tense?" Mello questioned, taking a step away from the refrigerator. He hoped his tone didn't sound uneasy. "Why would you say that? You just startled me, that's all."

"… Mels, you're a terrible liar," Matt said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You've been snuck up on before, like this, and never reacted like _that_. Are you okay?" He had wanted to ask if Mello was afraid, but he really didn't want to harm his brother's pride. Mello had not been acting like himself, and with good reason, ever since Shawn's death and Vince's freaky message. He wouldn't be surprised that even someone like Mello could have pent up fear.

"_Yeah_, Matt," Mello mordantly answered, "I'm fine, _okay_?" He began to leave again, desperately wanting to get out of there. He was embarrassed that Matt had to witness him acting so abnormally.

"Mello, come on, you can talk about it," Matt said, following the blond.

"Matt," Mello sounded irritable, "please, there's nothing to talk about."

"Again, you're lying."

Mello, who had reached the staircase, scoffed in response. He continued to go up the steps and did not turn around.

"Mels, come on," Matt tried again. "You never talk about what you're afraid of!" He instantly knew, afterwards, that that had been the wrong thing to say.

Mello ceased his moving and rotated his head around to give Matt a cutting gaze. It wasn't like Matt could clearly see his expression in the dark, but he could undoubtedly feel the cold glare radiating off of his brother.

"Matt," Mello lowly, and sharply, began, "that's _enough_. I am not scared, end of story. Go back to bed. This conversation is over." Without allowing Matt to say another word, Mello hastily walked up the remainder of stairs and disappeared.

Matt looked up towards the dark corridor, unmoving, and sighed. "Mello… I'm worried about you."

* * *

After walking back to the third floor, Matt stopped in front of Near's room door. Maybe the both of them could get Mello to admit his problems, like the troubled soul he was. In true basics, Matt didn't want for Mello to do something crazy. He was absolutely positive that Mello wanted nothing more than to wring Vince's neck, but, no matter how much he denied it, it was obvious that Mello was afraid. Afraid for the future, afraid of Vince and what he might do to him… Whatever Mello was specifically afraid of, Matt wasn't entirely sure of, but he wanted to try to get Mello to calm down about it. _Mello's an extremely proud, emotive person; I doubt he'll talk about this so easily._

Matt quietly opened the door to Near's room. It was dark, and Near seemed to be asleep in his bed. His back was facing him. Matt walked all of the way in, avoiding the dice tower on the floor, and directed himself towards Near's bed. Before the brunette laid his hand on the younger boy's upturned shoulder, Near alertly said, "Matt."

Matt jumped slightly, startled by Near's sudden acknowledgement. "H-How did you know it was me?"

"Mello and L both have very different walking patterns, apart from yours," he aphetically replied, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

"Oh… okay," Matt responded, impressed with that answer. He never really thought to do that. "Did you just happen to wake up, or something?"

"No," Near answered, "I've been awake all night."

"Really? Why?"

"… I was thinking about Mello."

"Huh… That makes two of us," Matt told him.

Near finally made eye contact with his older brother. "Do you know?"

Matt tilted his head slightly. "Know? Know what?"

"That he's afraid."

Matt's eyebrows rose a little. "Oh… Yeah, and I shouldn't be surprised that you noticed. Mello's been so… different. I mean, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why that is, according to the past week's events, but I've never seen him so jumpy before."

"Jumpy?" Near questioningly repeated.

"Yeah," Matt said, "I ran into him, in the kitchen just now, and he really freaked out. I can understand anyone getting startled by literally running into someone else in the dark, but his reaction was so weird."

"What was strange about it?" Near asked, intrigued to know.

"Well, whenever something like that happened before," Matt began to explain, "Mello always reacted the same—very little shock, and an occasional punch to the shoulder," he shrugged at saying those words and rolled his eyes very briefly. "Anyway, tonight, when it happened, he jumped back, rammed into the refrigerator, and choked… I know it sounds stupid, but it just wasn't like him at all."

Near silently pondered on that, internally agreeing with Matt. To him, Mello's reactions were absolutely created from fearful nerves.

"I tried to ask him about it," Matt continued, "but he wouldn't have it. He got mad at me and went back to his room."

"And you're thinking that, if we go there together, we might be able to console him," Near presumed.

"Well… yeah," Matt said, immediately feeling a little dim-witted for thinking about this idea. "I know it probably sounds stupid, but… I just don't want him to worry himself to death, or do something crazy."

"… It isn't as stupid as you think," Near told him. "I have been thinking of this myself, and if we leave things the way they are, now..." his voice softened a little, "I don't think Mello will make it."

"Won't… make it?" Matt repeated aloud. _Does he think Mello's going to… Oh, no._

"What I mean is," Near began again, "if Mello doesn't settle down, his nerves are going to get the better of him. I fear that he will either succumb to them, or act out impulsively—possibly the latter. Either way, if he keeps up with whatever he's feeling now, whether it is of guilt or fear… his life could be snuffed out, far too soon."

Matt exhaled, silently and slowly, and nodded. "You're right… I feel the same," he crossed his arms, feeling a tiny wave of chills sweeping through him. "That's… a little scary."

"It is," Near evenly responded, as he got out of his bed, and placed his socked feet on the floor. "We should try to prevent as much damage as we can. I'm already sure, as well as I'm sure Mello knows too, that Vince _will_ find a way to sneak into our safety zone. Still, whatever happens, we will need to be as steadfast as possible… and, sadly, as Vince had written, Mello will need to be prepared for it, no matter what."

Matt swallowed lightly and nodded once. "That's right, but… do you think Mello will listen to what we have to say?"

"Who knows?" Near stated with a small shrug. "All we can do is play a part within his subconscious and try to get him to calm down. He'll deny his fear, no doubt, but if we can manage to plant one seed-"

"It'll take root, and he'll be more likely to think rationally," Matt finished the younger boy's sentence.

"Precisely," Near answered. "If we can do that, than there will be less to worry about. Now, let's go to Mello."

* * *

**In this chapter, it demonstrates how the awareness of Vince is taking a clear toll on Mello's nerves. He has a strong fear of Vince and does not want to believe that he could be so emotionally vulnerable. That is why he snapped at Matt, because he had been embarrassed to reveal any weakness at all. Poor Mello... and what Near said, about Mello's life possibly ending too soon, is the fear he and Matt both share, for Mello's sake. They are truly concerned for Mello, more than anything else. This entire chapter demonstrates all of their fears, with Mello's being the most stressed.**

**I hope this chapter was enjoyed and was written well. I truly wanted for that brief nightmare sequence to make an impact on the chapter and more, especially. **

**I will try to get the next chapter up more quickly than this.**

**Thank you, for reading.**


	11. Lies and Decisions

**I tried to be quicker with uploading this next chapter, but, still, I have it up and ready. It isn't too terribly late, from my own personal goal, I suppose. ^_^'**

**Anyway, I would still like to thank those who are reading and reviewing. I want for this story to be enjoyed, and so far I have received positivity. So, thank you! I hope these characters still appear to be in-character, from the situation they are in.**

**In the previous chapter, simply titled as "Fear" demonstrated just that. It was not only Mello's fear that was so obviously shown, because of Vince, but Near's and Matt's, as well. They are afraid for Mello, while Mello is afraid for them and of Vince.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Lies and Decisions**

* * *

Once Mello had gotten back to his room, after his little run-in with Matt, he closed the door behind him and locked it. He was sure Matt would try to intrude on him sooner or later, before the sun came up, and he really didn't feel like dealing with him again... He did, however, feel bad about talking so harshly towards Matt.

_I didn't mean to act like that,_ Mello thought, as he breathed out a huge sigh and rested his back against the door, sliding down to the floor. He raised his chocolate bar and snapped it between his teeth. _He must think I'm a lunatic, after seeing that whole display… and I told him I wasn't scared. I know he didn't buy that lie; it looked so obvious!_

Immediately after Mello had turned away from Matt, when he was on the way back to his room, Mello imagined that scene of Vince shooting Matt—one of the clear images of his recent nightmare. Picturing that all over again made the blond feel even worse about his tone of voice with him. _… I'll apologize to him later. If he asks about my actions again, I'll try to convince him that my nerves are shot from lack of sleep, and I snapped._

Mello wasn't sure if Matt would buy that… Okay, he was absolutely positive that Matt wouldn't buy that or, at least, not automatically. He snapped off another chunk of his chocolate bar and sighed. It didn't matter. Matt had already seen his façade slip, and he was going to pester Mello about it until he was to give in. Like _that_ would happen.

Finishing off the last bit of his chocolate bar, Mello crumpled up its wrapper and tossed it to the other side of the room. It hit the opposite wall and fell to the floor. Mello leaned against the door more comfortably and sighed once more.

His mind had been going through so much, ever since Shawn died. Mello still felt truly guilty for the poor boy's murder. Even though he had not personally committed the act, Shawn had befriended Mello. If Shawn had never even met him, the boy would still be alive… That was why Mello blamed himself, even though Vince was the culprit. It wasn't like he knew Vince was watching him, but it still didn't change the fact that Shawn was dead… and there was nothing Mello could have possibly done to prevent that. Even though Mello knew he couldn't have stopped it, he was still apart of that boy's death.

Whenever Mello remembered Shawn's peaceful expression in the hospital, it filled him with a sense of disturbance, as well as calmness. He was immensely glad that the child didn't die afraid or alone; however, he would always have the image of that boy's eyes closing forever and the feeling of his hand falling limp within Mello's own hand… That had really shocked him and chilled him to the bone thinking about it. He felt the worst for Shawn's parents, who were truly suffering the most. He knew the unreal pain of losing the ones you love so dear. Those images bothered Mello, and he was sure it would haunt him for some time. Shawn's coffin was not only lying in the ground, but within his conscience, as well…

Then, there was the note from Vince:

"_It's the beginning of the end. You will not see me tonight, but soon you shall. Be prepared for that meeting, Mihael Keehl."_

This is what the note had said, and Mello didn't have to decipher it. When he was least expecting it, Vince would come for him. What Vince was planning for him, he did not know. Mello did feel, however, that Vince would not just kill him, and leave it at that. He knew Vince wouldn't get enough enjoyment from that alone. He knows this, because of all of Vince's crimes and their connections. The incident with Shawn was enough to say that Vince was a sadist. As for L and his brothers… Mello feared that Vince would try to kill them first, before ever deciding to kill him.

He began to feel cold chills climbing up his back again and, crisscrossing his arms, lightly rubbed the sides of his goose-bumped arms with his hands. _Why… _Why_ do I have to be so afraid of him? How can I ever expect to approach him, if I can't control my fear of him?_

Mello was not sure, at the moment, on how he would do this, but he was still fully intending to kill Vince, whenever he got the chance. Mello had never killed anyone before, nor did he ever really imagine himself doing it, but Vince… He felt that he could truly kill that man. He wanted to avenge his parents, Shawn, and anyone else who was so unfortunate as to cross paths with him. _I'll get him… I'll get him, eventually, and make him regret _ever_ coming into my life and stealing those lives… Evil can't hide forever._

His doorknob suddenly jiggled. The abrupt sound made Mello freeze where he sat, but he quickly settled down. _Matt. It's gotta be Matt._

Mello then felt the small vibration of someone knocking on the other side of the wooden door.

"Mels, hey, Mels, open up!"

_Ugh, I knew it._ Mello rolled his eyes and rested his head in the palms of his hands. He rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers, as Matt continued to tap the door.

"Come on, Mels, open the door. I know you're not asleep!"

Mello raised his head out of his hands and quietly scooted himself a few inches away from the door, remaining as silent as he possibly could. _Why can't he just get that I _don't_ want to talk?_

* * *

Near watched Matt, as he continued his constant knocking on the door. He shook his head and tapped the brunette's shoulder.

Matt stopped the repeated rasping and looked down at Near. The white haired boy motioned, with his hand, for Matt to get closer to him. Matt followed that and lowered his head to Near's face.

"Matt," Near softly whispered, "no matter how many times you knock on the door, Mello will not open it. He is not going to say anything, either."

"Then what should we do?" Matt asked him, also whispering. "I don't wanna wait till later to talk about this."

"You're good at those video games of yours," Near began, confusing Matt a little. "I've seen you play those games, and I have played them alongside you. Locked doors are a common obstacle, in some of those games. How did you get through them?"

"… With a key," Matt said, narrowing his eyes a bit. _What the heck is he saying? We don't have a key._

"Yes, but, if you didn't have a key, what did you do?"

"I… found other alternatives," Matt answered, mentally slapping himself in the face. _Geez, I'm an idiot; he's telling me to find a way to pick the lock._

"I got it," Matt said, hurrying down the hall to his room.

Near followed him a few seconds later, only for Matt to exit his room as soon as Near approached it. "You know how to unlock it?"

"Yep," Matt grinned. He then held up something between his index finger and thumb.

Near leaned in a little closer, trying to see what it was. The darkness was partially hiding the small, thin object. "Is… Is that a sewing needle, Matt?"

"Yeah, it is," Matt answered sheepishly. "You're probably wondering why I have it. Well… it was my mom's. She sewed a lot and taught me a thing or two, actually," he chuckled shortly, and then his tone evened out again. "After she died, her sewing needles became apart of the few possessions I still have of her."

"Matt, are you sure you want to use one of your mother's belongings to unlock a door?" Near asked him.

"Yeah," Matt replied, with a smile. "My mom was always big on trying to keep people together, so I think she would've wanted me to use this," he began to walk towards Mello's room again, and Near followed. "It's for a good cause, after all."

* * *

_Did he give up?_ Mello wondered. Matt had stopped banging on his door, and he couldn't hear anything else… _Maybe he finally got the picture._

He sighed lightly and got to his feet. He walked back to his room's bed and allowed himself to fall into it. Mello knew he still wasn't going back to sleep, but what else could he do?

He got back under the bed's covers, rested his head on his pillow, and stared up at the pale ceiling. Mello temporarily thought of how this room was bigger than the one he had in Wilshire, but his mind quickly wandered back to Vince. He closed his eyes, envisioning the words written on that note again. No matter how many times it ran through his head, Mello was absolutely certain that he would be the one to finally end Vince. If this man seriously thought he could kill him or his family, than he was sorely mistaken. Since there was no possible way of tracking down Vince, Mello would just have to wait and see what would happen. He knew Vince would make himself known eventually, no matter how many cameras L had wired around the apartment… He was sure L knew this, himself, but they really needed to use this precaution anyway.

Mello's hands clenched when he thought about his dream again… about L, Matt, and Near being killed before his very eyes. He would not allow for that nightmare to become a reality, even if it meant going to whatever extremes necessary to prevent it.

All of a sudden, Mello could hear his room's door creak open. He froze and kept his eyes closed. Before he could question, within his mind, as to whom it was, a familiar voice spoke.

"Mels, quit faking. I know you're awake!"

Mello's bloodshot eyes flew open to see the brunette's dark silhouette looming over his face. "_Matt_?"

"And Near, too," Matt said, leaning back up and pointing to the albino boy beside him. The room was dark, but it definitely wasn't hard to spot Near. His lighter figure stood very closely to Matt.

Mello blinked once, then twice, before finally speaking again. "Matt… Near… How'd you guys get in here?" he sat up now, staring at them incredulously. "I locked that door!"

"Well, I _am_ a hacker, after all," Matt boasted, a smirk obviously revealing itself in his tone.

"Jackass," Mello mumbled under his breath. "And you dragged Near along."

"Yeah!" Matt partially exclaimed. "We're all brothers, and we need to discuss your problems."

"Ugh, what _is_ it with you guys and 'my problems'?" Mello exasperated, falling back onto his pillow. "This conversation can wait, or, better yet, not happen at all."

"Uh, no, drama queen," Matt responded, grabbing Mello's wrist and jerking him back up. "We're talking about it."

"Matt!" Mello yelled, slapping away his younger brother's hand away, "Would you just _quit_ _it_?"

"No!" Matt adamantly retorted. He wasn't going to give in; that much was obvious.

"Mello," Near spoke up a little louder than usual, gaining Mello's attention, "stop and listen to what we have to say. This won't take long, if you cooperate."

Mello stared at both of his brothers. He _really _didn't see the importance in talking about what had happened in the kitchen, earlier. It was obvious that Matt had told Near about it, and now they were both 'concerned'. He had gotten spooked, simple as that. And his nightmare? It was scary, but it wasn't going to happen. The possibility of it actually happening was very real, but it still wasn't going to happen. He would make sure of it. At the moment, all Mello knew he had to do was to hear his brothers out and convince them that he was all right. He wasn't even going to bother telling them about his nightmare; that would only worry Near and Matt even more than they already were.

"Well?" Matt questioned. "Are you gonna mellow out or not?"

Mello reached over to his nightstand and turned on his room's lamp. He wanted for Matt to see his unamused expression. "Bad pun, Matt, and, yeah, I'll listen… Satisfied?"

"Yep," Matt replied, suddenly making himself comfortable on his older brother's mattress. He sat down—much to Mello's dismay—turned towards the blond and pulled both of his legs into a crisscross formation. He then made room for Near to sit in the open space between him and Mello. Matt purposely put Near there, because he knew how easily Near could make Mello crack under that stone-hard gaze of his.

Near sat there, also turning in Mello's direction, and immediately began to study Mello's expression. Mello only appeared to be irritated, at the moment. Once the conversation began, he might be able to spot a different emotion.

"Guys, I thought this conversation wasn't supposed to take long," Mello grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. "Why are you sitting down?"

Matt ignored Mello's question and asked one of his own. "So, what was up with you downstairs?"

_Ugh, Matt, stubborn as always. _Mello turned his gaze from Matt to Near, who was watching him intently. He was very close to Mello, and it was internally making him squirm. _And this, right here, is why it'll be hard to convince them I'm fine. _

"So… you guys are really serious about this whole 'talk it through' conversation?" Mello questioned them. His left eye desperately wanted to twitch in annoyance.

"Yep," Matt quickly answered, "now tell us what your problem is."

Mello almost cringed at hearing the word 'problem', again. In this situation, he really hated that word. It made him feel like he was crazy, or something. "Well, what do you think, Matt? I got a creepy, obscure note from a man who is completely insane, and I haven't been able to sleep in days. I already wasn't, before…"

Mello stopped for a brief moment to see if Matt was following him. He knew Near was, and he was not about to look back down into the boy's inquiring, grey stare. Mello made sure to remain as even-tempered as possible, as he continued. "As for what happened in the kitchen, think of it like this: I went downstairs, in the dark, and haven't been able to sleep. My mind is not up to par, right now. After everything that's happened, wouldn't it be normal for me to freak out a little from running into someone in the dark?"

"That's true, and all," Matt said, "but your reaction seemed more… well, petrified, really. I know the past week's been overwhelming, but what you just said doesn't seem to complete your reaction. Not only were you scared, but you got really mad at me-"

"Okay, stop right there," Mello interrupted, halting Matt's words. "First off, I wouldn't go as far to say that I was 'petrified' or 'scared'. You startled me; that's the right way to say it."

As Near had expected, Mello objected that he actually was afraid. Saying that he was simply 'startled', did not really match what Matt had told him.

"Second," the blond continued, "I'm sorry I spoke to you like I had…" his tone lowered a little and he glanced away. His tired looking eyes seemed to narrow in thought. "I guess I was just embarrassed about my reaction or whatever… That's all I have to say, really."

The air was silent for a moment, and then Near finally spoke. "Are you telling us the truth, Mello?"

Mello then dared to look Near in the face and straight into his eyes—the very same, wide, grey eyes that had been so explicitly frightened in his dream. Mello wanted to look away from Near immediately, but didn't. If he had, Near would assume he had been lying about his emotions… Well, he had been. Mello kept his gaze as steady as possible, as he told his youngest brother, "Yes, I am."

Mello knew, from a slight narrow of Near's eyes, that he wasn't buying it. Near was very good at reading people, and Mello knew it would take a lot more to even, somewhat, convince him. He also knew that Matt would, more than likely, side with whatever Near would say, because of that trait, as well. How could he persuade them?

"Mello, even now, you appear to be unnerved," Near responded.

_Direct, as always,_ Mello thought, still keeping his gaze fixed on Near's studying eyes.

"Is everything that you have said all that's bothering you?" Near asked, hoping that Mello would admit to something. He was not going to call Mello out on anything, right in front of him; he wanted for Mello to just openly tell them anything. Near understood that Mello's explanation was realistically true, but he also very well knew that Mello's feelings went far deeper than that.

Mello tiredly looked away from the pale boy's eyes, because he felt that his held up expression would soon betray him. All his mind would allow him to imagine, at the moment, was Near's terrified eyes from his dream. He didn't want to look at either one of his brothers, for Mello was afraid of those images. The more he thought about them, the more exhausted he felt… He was just _so_ tired…

"Near… Yes," Mello mumbled in response, as he suddenly fell on his side, onto his bed's right side pillow. His eyelids relaxed midway and he slightly curled up into the bed's sheets.

"Mels," Matt began to ask, as he and Near leaned towards Mello a little. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Mello quietly answered, "and there's really nothing else bothering me, guys… I… I've been really tired, you know…"

Near rotated his head around, to look at Matt. The brunette's eyes showed confusion, as well as a sense of consideration. Near looked back at Mello, to see that the blond had seemed to have fallen asleep… Even though it appeared that Mello truly was tired, Near still knew that Mello was holding back. It was obvious, and he was sure Matt knew it too. The reality was that Mello was not going to share anything further, and there wasn't really anything he or Matt could do to pull that truth out of him…

Near leaned over and placed one of his hands on Mello's upturned, left shoulder. He lightly shook him, checking to see if Mello was still awake… He really did appear to be asleep. Mello's body was completely relaxed, as well as his closed eyelids, and he was soundly inhaling and exhaling. There wasn't a tense muscle at all. _Did he really fall asleep that quickly?_

Matt breathed out a low sigh of defeat and placed his hand on Near's left shoulder. He soon saw Near glance behind him, from the touch. Matt leaned in closer to the side of Near's head and whispered, "Let's go."

Near fully turned his head around and looked into Matt's cerulean eyes. Matt's expression clearly told how disappointed he was about the turnout of this attempted meeting. Near knew how much Matt hated this, and he did too… but it appeared that, whether their eldest brother was asleep or not, Mello had decided to deal with these problems on his own.

At first glance, it didn't seem like anything good nor bad had resulted from this meeting. That was incorrect. Near and Matt knew that Mello was obviously stressed because of Vince's presence in his life, again. The truly bad thing was that, even though Mello had said it was only a sense of bad nerves, he was not being completely ingenuous. They could stay, 'wake' him up, and continue to question Mello, but Near and Matt both knew it wouldn't reap anything fruitful. It was a rather quick defeat, but Near and Matt would just have to accept Mello's answer as 'truth', for now.

Matt slid off of the bed first, while Near maneuvered himself off of the bed's blankets, and pulled the sheets comfortably up and over Mello's relaxed shoulders. Before the white haired boy got completely off of the bed, as well, he gazed down at Mello's sleeping expression. He slightly narrowed his eyes in concern, as he watched Mello's soft breathing pattern continue on. Near breathed through his nose silently and then proceeded to back off of the bed. As he reached over to turn off the lamp's light, Near prayed, _God, help him…_

* * *

After Matt and Near had left Mello's room, and closed the door behind them, Mello's eyes opened. He glanced at the door and stared at it for an extra few seconds, hoping that the two really had left. He had only pretended to fall asleep, in hopes that they would leave. Apparently, he had done a well enough job of tricking them. It was either that, or they had finally gotten the picture.

Mello took a deep breath, frowned, and snuggled down into the blankets that Near had so kindly covered him with. Even with his eyes being closed, it was obvious as to whose shadow was looming over Mello's face… It made him feel a little guilty for playing the sleep card on them, as well as lying.

He knew they cared, he really did… but he truly did not want for them, or even L, to get fully involved into what his mind was portraying. They were all, already, involved in this case with Vince, but all Mello wanted was for Vince to stay as far away from his family as possible. He would deal with him… He could deal with him.

_This is driving me crazy! L's keeping us all under lockdown, because Vince followed us. Just taking a step out of this building could be a risk, but staying under this roof won't change anything! No matter how long L looks out of those security cameras, and has those agents keeping a lookout for Vince, he won't find him. L may be the world's greatest detective, but Vince has left nothing for him to follow… There's nothing he can do._

Mello's left hand clutched the blanket, and he pulled it up to his chin. _I can't just stay here and do nothing, for much longer. To catch Vince myself, I would have to get out of this apartment and seclude myself. If he knows where I live, now, then it shouldn't be hard for him to follow me. Only me… That's just a theory, though. If he doesn't know, and I still seclude myself, it would take awhile for him to find me, or vice versa… There's no other way…_

A shaky breath released itself from the blond's throat, as he laid there. He felt helpless and immobile, feelings he desperately loathed. Was there a way he could prevent Vince from terrorizing his family? There didn't appear to be any open opportunities, as long as he was confined to the inside of this apartment. At this rate, it felt like it would take away far too much time to keep waiting, like this. They had only been in this new apartment for a little over two days time, but Mello had already known that nothing would harvest from sitting around… This case would have to be approached more boldly. He knew Vince was waiting for him and, though he was nervous, felt more than ready to face him.

_I'll find a way… I have to find a way… for them…those who are dead and alive._

* * *

**Well, you read it; Mello has decided to go at this alone, if he is able. That is what this chapter's title, "Lies and Decisions" is based upon, of course. Mello lied to his brothers about his 'problems', though of course they don't buy it, and has decided to go about dealing with this situation on his own. He is very irritable, when dealing with his brothers here (at the ending of the last chapter and through bits of this one), but it is only a mixture of embarrassment, frustration, and anxiety. It is all a big bundle of strong emotions and memories (Shawn's death, his nightmare, the note) that is throughly stressing Mello, as you can only imagine. He deeply cares for them and does not want to risk anything happening to his family.**

**As for Near and Matt, as you read, they had truly hoped that they, Mello's brothers, could help him a little. No such luck, not right now. Now all they can do is try again later and still stand behind him, regardless. They have a lot of thinking to do, in this.**

**I hope this chapter was good and enjoyed; I wanted for everything, as usual, to be written and dealt with in the best way.**

**Thank you, for reading.**


	12. Ready or Not

**I'm back with another chapter! As always, I thank anyone who has decided to read this story and review it. I appreciate the positivity and in-depth words that is/has been said of it, very much.**

**The last chapter mostly revealed Mello's thoughts of this situation. The inner fear he holds, what he wants to do and how he hopes to reach Vince... What about his family? What are their thoughts? It is obvious that Near and Matt are worried, and want to help Mello, but what about L? L is, of course, very much worried for Mello (all of his sons, he is worried for), but what is he thinking of this situation? What further thoughts do they—L, Near, and Matt—have of this?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Ready or Not**

* * *

Through bright monitors, L had been watching Mello, Near, and Matt throughout that entire ordeal.

He had actually watched Mello fall asleep and felt glad that his son could finally rest his eyes. A few hours later, however, he saw Mello suddenly awaken and breathe heavily, in apparent fright. L figured that it was from a nightmare. From Mello's actions and breathing pattern, that had to be the case. As L watched Mello hurriedly, yet timidly, exit his room and walk towards the kitchen, he noticed Matt—on another screen—emerge from his room not too long afterwards. The brunette had looked rather tired, still, and was going in the same direction as Mello.

L flicked his round eyes back to the illuminated, grey monitor in the kitchen, where Mello was. He saw Mello take one of his chocolate bars, turn around, and bump straight into Matt. What bothered him was Mello's body language. He had never seen Mello react so fearfully to anything, really. It had to be a result of whatever he dreamt. That was what L assumed… He was more than positive that Vince, or even the memory of Shawn's death, had been apart of Mello's dream.

He could see that both of his sons were talking, but could not understand them, since he did not have audio recording within these cameras. L's eyes turned back to the stairs' monitor again, as he saw Mello storm out of the kitchen and start up that flight. Matt followed him quickly, telling him something. Whatever it was apparently made Mello angry, because he turned around and brutally glared at Matt.

L came to the quick conclusion, and assumption, that his boys were possibly talking about Mello's reaction, in the kitchen. What else would it be about? He watched Mello proceed to leave Matt alone and head back to his room. Once Mello's room door had shut behind him, Matt began walking up the stairs again. When he got to the top, he watched the brunette quietly slink into Near's room.

_Ah, I believe I know where this is going,_ L thought, his thumb curiously placed over his lips. _As I would expect from Matt, he is going to get Near, for back-up, and go to Mello's room. That's how he will deal with whatever is going on… This should be interesting._

As he had thought, it was exactly what proceeded to happen. Of course, he watched the short, amusing images of Mello sitting on the side of his locked, room door, while Matt tried to persuade him to open it. It still amazed L that those three boys had actually formed such a bond, that they were almost always involved in whatever one of the others might be going through or doing.

He took a small sip of his sugary coffee as he watched Near get Matt's attention and tell him something. Perhaps he had thought of a way to get Mello to open the door or something. Yes, that appeared to be it. He saw Matt run to his room, rummage through one of his dresser's drawers, and pull out something he could just barely see—a needle. _Hm, good idea._

He watched Matt and Near have a short conversation, and then walk towards Mello's room door again. Matt lowered himself to one knee, stuck the thin needle into the knob's outer lock, and began to maneuver it around inside. Near stood close by and watched Matt continue to pick the lock.

L glanced over at the screen, portraying Mello's room. Mello was lying down, in his bed's sheets, and had his eyes closed. Rather than thinking he was asleep, or trying to sleep, L assumed Mello was in a process of thought.

He glanced back to the monitor that showed Near and Matt. Matt had, apparently, gotten the door unlocked and had his hand on the door's knob. Matt turned his face to Near, and then looked back at the door again, as he opened it. Quickly looking back at Mello's room monitor again, L could see Mello's body twitch from the sound of his door opening. Matt didn't waste any time getting himself into the room; he walked right on in, leaned over Mello, and said something to him that made Mello's eyes shoot open. It didn't take long for the blond and brunette to start quarrelling, it seemed, as Mello looked very agitated. It was only when Near said something that Mello stopped and listened. Mello reached over towards his lamp, turned it on, and replied to something Matt had said.

Soon enough, both Matt and Near were sitting on Mello's bed. Mello looked agitated, again, but the three appeared to be conversing now. L sighed lightly, wishing he knew exactly what was being said. Mello and Matt were going back and forth, in their conversation, but Near had not spoken once, yet. The detective also noticed that Near was staring at Mello intently, while Mello seemed to not be acknowledging him… Then, after something Mello had said, no one was speaking at all. A few seconds later, Near said something that caused for Mello to finally look at him. The two stared at one another for a long time, it seemed, until Mello spoke again. Then, suddenly, Mello collapsed onto his side.

L, still keeping his eyes firmly on the screen, was preparing to jump out of his seat and run upstairs. Was Mello all right? Was there something wrong with him, or was his stamina simply low?

These questions were answered, when he saw how calm Near and Matt were acting. They look confused, maybe, but not awfully worried. L settled back down into his chair, as he watched Near reach out and shake Mello's shoulder. _Has Mello really fallen asleep? If so, that was awfully fast. Then again, he hasn't been sleeping well. It would make sense for him to suddenly fall asleep, that quickly…but… _

L then saw Matt say something, into Near's ear, and Near only turned around to look at him. Both teenagers, but Matt especially, had that expression of true disappointment. Matt got off of the bed first, while Near crawled a little closer towards Mello. L's wide eyes softened at the sight of Near pulling the bed's covers over Mello's shoulders. After Near had situated the blankets, he looked down at Mello's peacefully sleeping face. _And to think, Mello once hated Near before… Their relationship, to this day, is still amazing, to me._ L smiled lightly and watched Near turn away from Mello, get off of the bed, and turn off the lamp. Both he and Matt then left the room and closed the door behind them.

Displayed on the hallway monitor, Matt said something else to Near. Near responded to whatever he had said with a nod and continued on to his bedroom. L saw that Matt lingered around the opening of his room's door for a little while longer, even after the door to Near's room had been shut.

The detective curiously watched Matt, whose face was turned towards Near's room door. He then looked around and gazed back down the unlit hallway, at Mello's room door. There was a visible, deep sigh from Matt, as he shook his head and turned around to walk into his room. He, too, then shut his door behind him.

Looking back over to the screen that revealed the inside of Mello's room, L noticed that Mello had not moved. Perhaps he really had fallen asleep? From the angled position of the camera, it appeared that way; he couldn't see his face too well… The only movement Mello made was that his hand tugged his bed's blanket up to his chin, and that was it. _Hm…_

L turned his eyes to Near's room monitor. The pale boy was sitting on his bed, with one knee drawn up into his chest. His forehead was resting on that knee, his tangled hair hiding his profile, while his arms were loosely wrapped around his pulled up leg.

Near was obviously thinking, and very hard, that was obvious to L… It was about Mello, of course. The black haired man then turned his eyes to Matt's room monitor. Matt was sitting on the edge of his bed, hunched over, with his elbows resting on his knees. His hands were running through his mess of brown hair, and he seemed to be on edge. Suddenly, Matt's hands clasped together and he brought them down, in front of him. He, then, laid his head against his clenched hands, his expression hidden by his hands.

L's head tilted, at both Near and Matt's positions. Neither one was moving. Deep within the great detective's stomach, he was beginning to feel an uncomfortable twist of tightness. L knew the thought of Vince was involved, that was for sure. From everything that he had seen, tonight, L was positive that Mello was afraid… _is _truly afraid, regardless of how held together he has acted, and Matt had happened to witness him acting a little more out of character. Mello's reaction obviously struck a nerve within Matt, and so he involved Near too… That was all L could think of, to sum up his thoughts entirely. He still knew this situation was nothing simple, and, for the first time, in a long while… L, himself, was worried and didn't know what to do.

_I don't know how to deal with this Vince, at all. What I'm doing, right now, won't help me find him, that's for sure. The short list of his features Mello gave us is a start, but how do I begin to search for this man? All I know is that he is more than likely here, in Los Angeles… For all I know, and more specifically, he may already know that we're here, in Santa Monica… He probably does know, somehow._ L's hands twitched ever so slightly, at the thought. _Ugh, what to do, what to do…_

* * *

Matt sat on the edge of his bed, with his head leaning against his folded hands, for a long time, after he had entered his room. He couldn't go back to sleep, knowing that Mello had stressed inner turmoil disturbing him. Even though Mello said that his reason for being startled in the kitchen was from 'lack of sleep', it was not the complete truth. Near knew it, he knew it, and, now, Matt only felt stupid for even trying to reconcile with Mello on what he felt.

_That didn't go over well at all… It blew, actually._ He sighed briefly, still keeping his hunched posture the same. _No matter how much Mello denies his issues—his completely normal, human issues—his future will be like Near said… He won't make it._

Matt's hands clenched slightly, as well as his already closed eyes. _What can we do? What could I, or Near, do to protect Mello from this? Is it even possible to find Vince, or will he come find us? If Vince already knows where we are, he'll probably expect for us to be watching out for him… and, even though L placed cameras all over this apartment, I wouldn't be surprised if Vince found a way around them… Can we even beat this guy? _

Matt wasn't feeling very confident, now that he was thinking back to all of Vince's crimes. His face went unseen, he avoided or destroyed every camera, he left no physical evidence… There didn't seem to be any way they could form a battle plan for this guy. _He's just so unpredictable; I don't know what we can do… Maybe L's already got a plan… maybe Near has an idea… All I know is that we are in trouble, if we don't have any ideas._

* * *

Near, sitting up in his folded over position, had similar thoughts and questions racing through his mind as Matt. How could Mello be helped? Where is Vince, and does he already know of our whereabouts? Could there possibly be a way to handle this situation and catch Vince? So many other questions kept circling around in the young boy's mind, but there was one question that really kept bothering him and had been for the past two days… What does Vince plan on doing to Mello?

Throwing that rock, with the note attached, through the window, was purposely done to not only give Mello a head's up on what was to come, but to give him paranoia, as well. _Vince is no idiot; he knows what he's doing and plans ahead on everything he does. That's why we have no physical evidence to track him down… I can only imagine what he plans on doing, once he gets to Mello. I don't think he wants to kill Mello, for he might have already done it by now, but what could he actually want? Will he make an advance when we're least expecting it, or will he try something more bold? Knowing Vince, from his crimes, he will more than likely do something low-key and less noticeable. L has cameras all over this apartment, but I'm sure Vince could find a way to avoid or disable them, if he knows where we are… Perhaps L already expects that._

Near knew that the reason for having the cameras was nothing more than a precaution. Despite having a large amount of those miniscule cameras placed in strategic areas, Near knew it wouldn't keep Vince away. He was positive that Vince already knew, before his act of throwing that rock, that he would be dealing with whatever they—Mello, Near, and Matt—could do to protect themselves, from then on out. That seemed very reasonable to think… Because of that thought, Near was now certain that Vince already knew where they were. How? It didn't matter. How to look for signs was something to go by… Although, Near wasn't sure what he could be looking out for, in Vince's case.

_I don't like to think this, _he slumped his shoulders slightly, keeping his head resting on his pulled up knee_, but we really can't do anything, until Vince decides to take action. Whatever he decides to do, we will have to fight against him. Mello is his main target, and, whatever he wants with him, L, Matt, and I cannot allow it. There doesn't seem to be a plan… It's the same thought, from the very beginning; we have no choice, but to wait and see how this situation will unfold._

* * *

Miles away, in that secluded, abandoned warehouse, Vince was thinking, too. He knew where Mihael was, and, after having Adem spy on the place once, he knew the method he would use to get Mihael out here. He, himself, would not be getting Mihael here, but Adem would be. After Adem had told Vince about the two security guards who monitored the apartment, Vince knew exactly the plan to use.

_This idea should work out well… and Mihael should oblige. Heh, heh… Oh, this is getting _so_ much more exciting! I'll see her again… through her precious son._

Vince, who was sitting within the largest room of the warehouse, got to his feet and walked over to a peculiar, polished, wooden box that sat upon a single crate. He opened the box and devilishly grinned at what it contained.

"And when Mihael sees these little trinkets…" Vince's grin and eyes widened, as a low cackle began to break out of his throat. Soon enough, his amused laughter became more maniacal and distorted. The tone of it grew louder and louder within the room and reverberated against its walls.

When he managed to settle his laughter, Vince closed the box and walked over towards the television. On top of it was his cell phone. He picked it up, and then speed-dialed Adem.

"Yes?" Adem answered, once he had been contacted.

"Did you get the matter settled?"

"Yes," Adem affirmatively responded. "It's all been taken care of. Everything went smoothly. Your plan is in motion."

Vince could feel himself grinning in delight. "Excellent."

* * *

**As this chapter showed, it was almost an entire display of thought. L, having witnessed all of his sons' interactions, is truly worried about the situation at hand as a detective and a father (mostly as a father, of course). He is at a loss of how to go about anything, really, because Vince has kept himself so concealed. Matt is, as well, and, like L, cannot think of a way they can approach this situation and protect everyone at once. Near also ponders on all of this, but is very much worried about what Vince wants with Mello. Is Vince making all of this a game with someone he victimized years ago, or is there more to it? Vince, on the other hand, has concocted a way to finally get Mello to where he is... and has quite a bit in store for him, as you can probably tell...**

**Regardless of the thoughts that Mello, Near, Matt, and L are trying to unravel and plan out, Vince is coming for them. Whether they are "Ready or Not", he is coming. They cannot stop him from anything he wants to do, at the moment, and are aware of that. The main goal they share, as a family, is to have protection for everyone. **

**I hope this chapter was enjoyed and well done. The next chapter will be much more of a roller coaster, I can assure.**

**Thank you, for reading.**


	13. Inside and Out

**I have _finally_ gotten some time to post this next chapter! I hope it is worth the wait, and will be enjoyed. As I had mentioned in the previous chapter, this next installment is much more of a rollercoaster. Everything heightens, in this chapter. **

**Thank you, to those who have begun to read this story, and to those who are still reading. I appreciate it, and I hope to hear good things in any reviews I get (any thoughts and opinions can be voiced).**

**The last chapter consisted of the different thought processes of those who are linked to Mello—L, Matt, Near, and Vince. Three show concern for Mello, and the other wants nothing more than to get him where he is. What is Vince's plan?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters. **

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Inside and Out**

* * *

The night had gone by and now the time was nearly noon. L had been watching his boys, still, and none of them had made a single leave from their rooms—not ever since Matt and Near had left Mello's room.

From what L could see of them, Matt had already awoken—from a measly, three-hour sleep—but did not leave his room, not for anything. He did get out of his bed, but only to walk around his bedpost and to his room's window. Matt loosened the blinds a little and allowed for some of the bright sunshine to slip through. After that, he leaned his elbows onto the window's small, inner ridge and stayed that way.

L then cast his glance to Near's room. L saw, and knew before then, that Near had not gotten a wink of sleep the previous night. Near eventually got out of his position on his bed, but only to walk to his chest of drawers and grab a box of dice. He then sat down on the floor and began stacking the dice over and over. That was all Near continued to do, until the morning sun came out. Now, however, he was lying on his side, fumbling with only one of the dice cubes.

Lastly, L turned his gaze to Mello's room. Mello was still asleep, it appeared. He was lying beneath his blankets, his face barely visible. He had scarcely moved an inch all night…

L narrowed his eyes and slightly pouted his lower lip in thought. He had half a mind to actually go upstairs, grab all three of his boys, and drag them downstairs. He wanted to know what the exact cause of their separation was, the night before, and he wanted to know what was wrong with Mello. He did… but he was so tired, now. He, himself, was at the point to where he needed sleep. It had been quite a long time—four days—since he had gotten proper rest. L had always been able to stay awake for long periods of time, but he was only human, after all. It was only natural that he allowed for his body to rest…

_I'll hold out on sleep a little while longer,_ L thought, stifling a brief yawn. _One of them should come down, eventually. Me stepping in on whatever is between them might not be the proper choice, but… No, I'll wait a little longer._

* * *

Under Vince's orders, Adem was now on his way to where Mihael and his brothers were living. He would not be sneaking around, like he had done previously; Adem would actually be in plain sight and be easily seen by those boys… and that's exactly what Vince wanted.

After Adem had spied on the boys' new apartment, Vince got to work on tapping into the L.A. police organization list—by whatever means that Adem did not understand. He succeeded in finding the profiles of the two men that where standing guard at Mihael's living area, by Adem's description. Both of them checked out as the correct men, according to Adem. Their names were Louis Henderson and Bruno Esteban.

Knowing that was not the main point, of course. Vince's idea, for all of this, was to steal a different agent's identity. Vince knew, however, that he could not take an L.A. member's identity, for they would be found out quickly—Adem would, more than likely, be recognized as an imposter, by the two guards. Instead, Vince stole the identity of an Oregon police agent's identity and gave it to Adem. Vince came up with an excuse for Adem to use in order to gain the guards' trust, as well. This was a risk, but Adem's job would not take much time or effort. At least, according to Vince, it wasn't supposed to be.

_I really hope this works,_ Adem thought, as his car neared the apartment. _If I'm found out, I don't know what will become of my son… but… I can't help but feel concerned for that boy, Mihael. Vince keeps repeating his name, like he's obsessed… What on earth does he want with that boy?_

Adem could now see the apartment building and was about to park in front of it. _Whatever it is, I don't need to know… not yet, at least._

He then stopped his car, parking it across the street. Adem stepped out of the vehicle and looked up at the large apartment. He frowned, feeling horrible for having to do what he was about to go through with. He began to walk across the road, once no cars were passing, and already spotted the two security guards, standing on either side of the apartment building's doors.

_Okay, here I go. _Adem relaxed his facial structure. _Just loosen up, and sell it. _

The guards were looking directly at him, now.

"Good evening, sirs," Adem greeted them, now that he was standing in front of them. "My name is Jarred Caden. I have just been transferred from the police agency in Oregon to the one here," he reached into his suit's pocket and pulled out his forged I.D. "I've been assigned in helping out with this private case."

Both men looked at the I.D. skeptically, and then made direct eye contact with Adem.

"So, Mr. Caden," the taller, bulkier guard—who Adem knew was Bruno Esteban—sternly began, "what is this case about, from what you've been told?"

Adem briefly looked around, as if he were looking out for any eavesdroppers, and turned back to the two men. "You're on the lookout for a man named Vince," he answered them. He hoped this next line would convince them, "You're on strict orders to keep a certain boy away from him."

Esteban and Henderson turned their faces to each other's and nodded. Adem tilted his head, ever so slightly, as he watched Henderson look up at the security camera above the doors.

"Sir," Henderson began, in a bit of a hushed tone, as he put his fingertips on a device that was clipped to his ear, "this man recently transferred from the Oregon police agency and has been assigned to this case, as well. He checks out okay."

Adem wanted to let out a sigh of relief; that had been a lot easier than he had imagined.

"Mr. Caden," Henderson said, turning back to Adem and handing him his communication device, "Our boss wishes to speak with you."

Adem felt even more nervous as he took the device from Henderson and placed it up to his ear. "Yes, hello?"

"Greetings," a clear, male voice sounded, "what is your name?"

"Jarred Caden," Adem told him.

"And you've been assigned in taking part of this case?"

"Yes, sir," Adem replied, still keeping up with his façade.

"… Good," the man responded. "Have you been told, as to who I am?"

"I know about the case, I know who you're after, and I know who you're trying to protect," Adem started off, trying to sound as realistic as possible, "but I was not told who I would be working under, exactly. Not much detail went into that subject, although it was hinted that I would be working under someone important." Oh, how he hoped that didn't sound too overboard.

"… I am L."

Adem hoped he didn't look as surprised as he felt. He remembered that event between the unknown Kira murderer and L, a few years ago… He was talking to the world's greatest _detective_! How was Mihael in relation to this distinguished detective? _How_… and how did he expect to fool the world's greatest detective, anyway? Could this be done? Maybe Vince's plan, even though he wasn't expecting L to be apart of this, would still pull through. His stolen identity did, at the moment, confirm him as a completely different person; when the time would come to get rid of the I.D., L still wouldn't be able to track him down…

"Saying that," L continued, "I can see you from where I am. I would like for you to come inside and do something important for me."

"Y-Yes sir," Adem replied, trying to maintain himself. "I'll do whatever job you want to be done."

"You sound nervous."

"Not nervous," Adem said back, "but I'm shocked… I didn't know it was you I would be working under. It's an honor, sir."

"Thank you," L responded. "Now, please, come inside. I am on the second floor."

Adem replied with a "Yes", and handed the small device back to Henderson. Adem then walked through the apartment's entrance. The first floor was rather plain, with only a few pieces of furniture lining the wooden floor. The narrow staircase he needed to go up was located on the right side of the room. As he began to step up them, Adem's conscience began to berate him more than before. _This isn't right… I hate this. To do something this low, to the world's greatest detective, and that boy… _A sudden thought hit him. _That boy could be his son… _Adem wanted to stop, turn around, and leave. He wanted to forget about all of this and abort the mission… but that would be impossible. If he did, he would never be able to see his own son alive, again. Never again would he have the chance to see him, hug him, tell him how sorry he was, and tell him how much he loved him… There wasn't another choice now; he had to keep going.

When Adem was at the top of the staircase, he saw that the floor only consisted of three doors, which led to their own, separate rooms. One of the doors was open, and so Adem walked towards that one. He peered through the open door, seeing a dark room with bright security monitors lined and stacked across the opposite wall. Underneath the screens, right in the center, was a turned around chair. The chair's back was high, but Adem could see the top of the back of a person's head. _L…_

L lowered one of his legs to the floor and used his foot to maneuver the chair around. When his face greeted the other man's, Adem's eyes widened slightly.

Adem stared at the odd looking man, feeling astonished and confused. This was L? By his unruly hair, deathly pale skin, gangly, hunched figure, and rumpled clothing, he never would have guessed that the person's voice he heard before belonged to this body.

"Hello, Mr. Caden," L greeted, getting up and out of his chair. He walked over towards the man and held a hand out towards him. "Thank you, for involving yourself in this."

Adem looked at L's face, into his peculiarly large, tired looking eyes, and then at the lanky hand that was extended towards him. He took the renowned man's hand, not wanting to pause any longer. "It's no problem, L." _I can't believe I'm shaking hands with this man._

"You may call me Ryuzaki," L told Adem, after letting go of his hand. "That is the name I am referred to as, in most situations."

Adem nodded once. "Understood."

"Good," L said, motioning for Adem to follow him towards the wall of illuminated screens. "Can you view multiple things at once?"

"Yes, I can." Adem actually was capable of that skill.

"Then you should have no trouble taking over my position for a little while, correct?"

"No, sir," Adem replied, "but what will you be doing, if I may ask?"

"I have been awake for many days and nights, now," L simply answered him. "I need a few hours to recharge my stamina. You must watch the monitors well; I am counting on you to make sure nothing happens."

"Yes, sir. I'll do that," Adem responded, feeling absolutely disgusted with himself. _I'm a terrible person for deceiving him like this._

As the great detective was departing from the room, Adem halted him with a curious question. "Ryuzaki… That boy, Mello, who we're looking out for… What is he, to you, if I may ask?"

L, his back still turned to Adem, paused for a few seconds before answering, "He is my son." After stating that, the hunched man left the room.

Adem stood still, close to the door, until he couldn't hear L's shuffling steps anymore. He walked over to L's chair and sat down in it, feeling even more horrible than before. _His son… This boy is his son, and I'm sure the other two are, as well. L looks to be a young man, and none of those boys seem to resemble him, so he must have adopted them all… He cares about these boys, I can tell… and here I am, about to rip their family apart._ Adem felt sick to his stomach. He still had no idea as to what Vince wanted with Mihael, but he knew it couldn't be good.

He looked up at the monitors, now. L, who had gone to the right side of the second floor, was now inside of a small, private room, which consisted of only one bed. He was just now lying down in it. Adem looked away from the detective, and his eyes quickly began to scan over the screens' images.

There, just now, he saw the form of a smaller, pallid haired boy, who was completely clothed in white. _I remember him, from when Vince and I spied on them at that beach. I believe his name was something strange… Near. _

The boy was in his room—Adem supposed—and was with an older looking, brown haired boy. He was wearing a simple, red t-shit, with black and red horizontally striped pajama pants. _I remember him, too. He was called Matt._

While Near was seated on the floor, Matt was sitting on the bed, in the room. Both of them were talking to each other. About what, Adem had no clue. He allowed his eyes to wander about the bright images, again, and stopped when his eyes rested on a small, kitchen's image. There, seated at the island bar, was Mello. His attire consisted of only black pajamas, and he was resting his head on the bar's surface, his arms hanging below him. A mug of some dark drink, which Adem guessed to be coffee, was sitting just above his head.

_He's either asleep or just really tired… I wouldn't be surprised if he was stressed. _Adem's eyes narrowed briefly. _After what Vince did the other night, it would make sense. _Vince had told Adem that he would be sending Mihael a message, to let him know he was there, watching him. It made Adem wonder how Mihael felt, in seeing that message. Was he scared? Was he angry? What did he feel, exactly?

* * *

Mello hadn't realized it, but he had fallen asleep at the kitchen's bar. One moment he's watching the steady movements of the kitchen's clock's minute hand—spherically ticking beneath the thin, plastic surface—the next moment, he's dreaming as if he were still awake. With an unexpected, quick twitch, his eyes jolted back open. The blond's eyes wandered back up to the clock. When he had last viewed it, the time was 7:30 p.m. Now, the time revealed to be 8:22 p.m.

_Man… I was out for almost an hour._ Mello slowly lifted his head off of the table and felt an uncomfortable stiffness within his spine. He got down from his stool, griped the edges of the bar with both hands, and stretched his back out. _Note to self, don't fall asleep at the bar. _

Letting out a gruff sigh, Mello walked out of the kitchen, leaving his mug of cocoa behind. _I guess I'll just go see how L's doing. I've barely seen him these past, few days._

* * *

Mihael wasn't going to the fourth floor, Adem could see, but he was walking from the third floor to the second floor… _He's going to come in here, expecting to see his father._ Adem sighed, knowing that this was going to be the only opportunity to tell the boy Vince's second message for him. He waited a few more seconds, watching Mihael come closer and closer to the monitored room. Soon enough, Adem could hear the boy's footsteps nearing the entrance at the door, past the door, and then silence. He had stopped walking.

_That's not L… It's not either one of the guards, either,_ Mello thought. A portion of the back of this man's head was all he could see, but it was more than enough to tell him that it wasn't someone he knew. _Who is this guy? I've got a weird feeling…_

"Who are you?" Adem heard the boy's voice speak out to him. Mello's tone of voice made Adem shiver a little; his voice was low and ringing, but there was an undertone of nervousness laced within it… He stood up and turned around, meeting this boy, Mihael, face to face. This boy's sharp eyes scanned Adem, head to foot, and then rested back on his face.

"You haven't answered me, yet," Mello spoke again. A faint detection of warning could now be heard in his voice. _Why won't he speak?_

Adem silently inhaled and exhaled, looked back at the monitors—to see if Near and Matt were still upstairs—and began to walk towards the boy. Instead of stopping in front of Mello, Adem walked past him and to the door. He grabbed the door's knob and began to shut the door.

"W-What are you doing?" Mello gruffly, yet waveringly, demanded.

"Listen," Adem said, as he quietly closed the door. He looked back into the young teenager's eyes. "I have news for you, and only you, to hear. I don't have much time to tell you."

Mello froze, only lowering his head an inch. _News… Who is this guy?_

"I work for the man you know as Vince, Mihael," Adem answered the boy's unspoken question, addressing him by his true name.

He saw the boy's eyes widen incredulously, and he gasped lightly, taking a step back. Adem walked back towards him, raising his hands briefly. "I am not here to hurt you, or anyone here. I don't wish for it; please believe that," he truthfully told him. "I am only acting as a messenger."

Mello was unable to speak; he could only stare up at this man's face. Vince had finally broken through the barrier… and, since this man knew Vince, it was only expected for him to know his true name. This didn't matter, though. How had this man gotten past Esteban and Henderson? More importantly, where were L and his brothers? _Did they already know about this man being here?_

"If you want to know how I got in here," Adem started off answering Mello's unasked thoughts, again, "It's because of this." He pulled out the I.D. card, which said that he was an officer from Oregon.

Mello looked at the card in disbelief. _A stolen identity… _He now looked back up at this truly unknown man. _No wonder L let him in. _Now, he was wondering if Vince knew about L, as well as him, Near, and Matt. Did this man just find out about L, or did Vince, somehow, find out about him? There was just no _way_ Vince could've found out about L. _It doesn't really matter at this point, now, does it? If he knows, he knows; I can't change that. _

"Your father, believing me to be someone else, left me in charge of watching the monitors, while he went to rest his eyes, earlier," Adem stated, putting the I.D. back into his pocket.

Now, finding his voice to speak again, Mello asked, "You said that you don't want to hurt anyone… Are you being honest?" He didn't want to live through that horrible nightmare, in reality. Mello had thought about that the previous night and, now that something like this was happening… As he had promised himself, he would do anything to protect his family.

Adem immediately nodded his head once. "Yes. I give you my word that they will not be harmed."

Mello breathed a silent sigh of relief to that answer, but what this man said next made him feel fully tense, again.

"As long as you do what Vince asks of you, no harm will come to any of them." Adem hated to tell him that, and it showed within his tone.

This man was not on Vince's side, Mello could tell. This man, whoever he was, actually seemed to be… regretful? For some reason, Mello felt a twinge of pity for this courier. However, that emotion was quickly replaced by a strong wave of abhorrence towards Vince. Oh, how much more he despised him, for this…

"Is _he_ being honest?" Mello rigidly asked. "Will he keep his word to that, if I do what he wants?"

"… He told me you might say that," Adem replied, causing for Mello's eyes to cut more narrowly. "I can only go by what Vince has stated. He said that he would keep to his word and not hurt anyone in your family, as long as you abide to what he's demanded."

_What other choice do I have?_ Mello thought, his emotions seething in hatred. This truly was it; he would deal with Vince, the murderer of his parents and Shawn. This opportunity, he wanted so much. He wanted to go to Vince and bring justice to all who had fallen by his hand. He, himself, would bring an end to this monstrosity!

"It's a deal," Mello answered, not holding back on his answer. "What does he want?"

Adem blinked at Mihael's answer. Not long ago, this boy had traces of visible fear showing. Now, all he could see was rage and assertion fully revealing itself from within the boy's eyes and body language. "Vince wants to see you."

"_See_ me?" Mello's voice was becoming harsher now, and it only hurt Adem to hear.

_What could've Vince done to make him so angry? I've never seen such a face._ He pulled his thoughts back to the present, to continue with what he needed to say. "On the south side of Glendale, L.A., there is a warehouse that no longer serves any purpose. Inside that warehouse is where Vince is waiting. Do you know how to get to Glendale?"

Mello nodded once.

"Then I've done my job," Adem said, sighing slightly. "When will you leave?"

"Is twenty minutes enough time?" Mello asked him. He still had to get his motorcycle, which was behind the apartment, and depart quietly, somehow.

"Take as much time as you need," Adem answered him. "Vince would only order destruction if I were the one to show up in front of him, next. If it's you, then it doesn't matter."

Mello didn't care; he wanted to leave now. "Is there anything I need to look for, when I approach the warehouse?"

"As I told you, the warehouse is on the south side of Glendale, and I guarantee you that it's not hard to come across," Adem said. "There will be a road, a few miles away from the entrance of Glendale, which leads away from the main road. A rusted sign is beside that separate road. Go down it. After another mile's worth of travel, it will lead you directly towards the warehouse."

"Fine."

"Also, in case there might be trouble with your leaving, Vince has provided a way for you to escape," Adem added. "When you're ready, I'll activate it."

"What'll happen?"

"Nothing drastic will happen. The building's power will completely shut down. That is all," Adem answered. "Once you're out, I'll make it happen."

He gave Adem a fair nod and began to make his leave.

"Mihael, wait," Adem said, freezing Mello in his tracks. It only made him cringe to hear his real name being spoken by someone he didn't know.

"Why are you called Mello?" Honestly, Adem had heard this boy's name spoken so often; he wanted to know what the significance of his nickname was.

Wrapping his hand around the door's knob, Mello firmly answered, "Let's just say the reason for that is Vince's fault…" his voice vaguely quivered, "He's the reason I can never tell anyone my real name… I want to ask you a question, now."

"Yes?" Adem responded.

"I don't know who you are, and I don't care," Mello's grip on the door knob tightened, "but... does Vince know about my father's status? I'm sure you do…"

Adem was silent for a moment. Thankfully, Vince didn't know about L. It would only cause even more problems if he knew. "I do know about your father being L, but Vince does not. Trust me, on this; I'm glad he doesn't know."

Mello rotated his head back around, until his left-side profile was the only part of his face Adem could see. _I'll trust you, with that account._

"Unfortunately, as you may already know, Vince does know about your brothers," Vince continued. "He… we… spied on the three of you, as well as that family at that beach."

Mello had nothing more to say; his throat now felt choked and burned from his mind's disarraying thoughts and memories. With an inhaling, shaky, deep breath, he opened the door and briskly walked away.

Adem looked back to the monitors. Mello was walking up to the third floor. When he got there, he only continued up the next flight, to the fourth floor. Mello then went directly to, what Adem assumed to be, his room.

_I'm sorry, Mihael… I really am. _

* * *

Once Mello closed his door behind him, he leaned against the room's wall, taking a minute to get his heart to stop pounding so wildly against his chest. That had all happened so unexpectedly; there had been no warning or anything! The only good things that Mello could pull from that was that Vince—more than likely—didn't know about L, that mystery man didn't come off as being homicidal, and his brothers didn't have to be involved.

_I can do this, I can do this… _Mello took another deep breath and exhaled easily. The rapid pounding was beginning to settle out, but his hatred and anger sure hadn't. _Vince is going to regret _ever_-_

His door suddenly opened. "Mels!" Matt's familiar voice rang out, "Near and I heard you come back up here."

Mello turned around, giving both of his brothers a sarcastic expression.

"I know, I know," Matt exasperated, holding up his hands, "we both know you're still kinda touchy, but we haven't really seen you since early this morning. We just wanted to check on you."

"Well, thanks," Mello told them, "but I'm fine, as you can see. It was just a case of bad nerves."

Near raised a cynical eyebrow at Mello, in response.

Noticing that, Mello said, "Okay, fine, _really_ bad nerves… but, seriously, I'm all right."

Matt reached an arm around Mello's shoulders and patted his back. "Good, because you're hanging out with us, tonight."

Mello looked at the brunette with slightly widened eyes. "Huh?" _They couldn't have possibly picked a worse time to do this._

"Yeah," Matt said, "We wanna cheer you up!"

Near vaguely rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Well… what if I don't want to?" Mello asked.

"'Don't want to'?" Matt questioningly repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean it as it sounds," Mello replied, wriggling out of Matt's grip.

Matt tilted his head in disbelief. "Come on, Mels, what else could be more important than spending time with us?"

_Saving your lives,_ Mello thought his true answer. "Well… what did you have in mind, anyway? I bet your choice is videogames, right, Matt?"

"… And that's a bad thing?"

"Uh, huh," Mello smirked, looking at Near now. "Let's do something Near's good at, instead."

"Me?" Near blandly questioned the blond. "You want to try one of my games?"

"Yeah, why not?" Mello asked him. "I wanna see if Matt can actually stack a card tower."

"Are you implying that I can't, Mello?" Matt asked him, his lips forming a firm line.

Mello shrugged nonchalantly. "Hm, maybe…"

"Oh, I'll accept that challenge, bro!" Matt grabbed Near's arm and hauled him out of the room, as he began a light sprint. "Near, show me where your cards are; I'm totally gonna win this!"

Near almost fell, but remained on his toes. "M-Matt, you're going to make me fall!"

"I'll catch up soon, all right?" Mello called after them.

"Sure!" he heard Matt's voice respond back.

Okay, Mello _really_ didn't have a lot of time now. If he was going to sneak out, at all, he had to hurry. This would probably be his only opportunity to do this, since L was still asleep. Whenever he was to wake up, there wouldn't be another chance. He could not take that risk.

Mello quickly opened up his chest of drawers and dragged out the first articles of clothing his hands grabbed. He wound up pulling out one of his black, leather vests, as well as a loose pair of black, leather pants. He hastily undressed himself of his pajama wear and threw on his sleeker clothes. Beside his bed were his boots. He grabbed them and hurriedly put them on, hoping that Matt or Near wouldn't barge back in. After he was fully dressed, he grabbed his leather gloves from atop his dresser, as well as his motorcycle's keys and helmet.

There, he was finished. Mello had already been thinking of how he would escape and knew how to do it; he would climb out of the second floor's back window. The risks were the possibilities of either getting caught by L, Near, Matt, or either of their body guards. It was obviously chancy, but he would make it work.

He went back to his room's door and peered through it. No one was there. _Good._

Mello walked out, as quietly as possible, so he wouldn't alert his brothers. He was about to pass by Near's room, and the door was open. He slightly peeked through its entrance, from the side, and saw no one. He wasn't concentrating on their conversation; he was just relieved that they were on the opposite, non viewable portion of the room. _Perfect… _he frowned a little, thinking of a true possibility. _I don't know if I'll ever see them again… If this is it, then…_ his heart felt a little heavier, now,_ Goodbye, Matt, Near… I'm sorry._

Mello then quietly, and hurriedly, crept past the room, and immediately started off down the stairs. He quickly stepped down them and continued until he was on the second floor. The door of the monitor room was still open, from when he was last there, and saw that man standing at the entrance. He was waiting for him.

"Do you know how you're going to escape?" Adem asked.

"There's a window, back there," Mello pointed towards the narrow, turning corridor of the floor. "It's not far off the ground, and my motorcycle is outside, below the window. I'll make it out. Just do whatever you're going to do, soon."

"Got it."

With all of that being said, Mello rushed towards the end of the smaller, slimmer hallway. _Good thing L's on the other side of this floor; he might hear me._

When he got to the window, he undid its closed hatches, lifted the window open, and quickly slid out of its opening. Mello stood on its ledge, which was a few feet directly under the window. He closed the window, once he had his balance, and began to scale down the building's side. _Climbing down this building is a breeze compared to that mountain I climbed a few years ago. _

When his feet touched the ground, he looked back up at the window. As soon as his eyes met the window, the inside of the building darkened. _Good timing._

He turned around to his and Matt's tarp covered vehicles. The teenager ran to his motorcycle, flung the tarp off, and began to guide the bike towards the back road. There were quite a few cars driving down the road, so his motorcycle's engine would blend in well with their sounds. When he felt that he was far enough down the road, Mello hopped onto his motorcycle, shoved his helmet on, pulled his gloves on, threw the keys into ignition, and zoomed away into the night.

_Here I come, Vince… You'll finally pay for _everything_ you've done! _


	14. Origin of Obsession

**I _finally _have another chapter of this story ready. It's been awhile, but I've got it, now! I hope it will be enjoyed.**

**In the last chapter, as everyone who has chosen this story read, Mello fled the apartment and is on his way to Vince's hideout. He is 'Outside' while Adem is 'Inside'. I know some were wondering how on earth Adem managed to get past L in the first place, but, as I explained to a few, this is my answer: L is a human, just like the rest of us. He is, indeed, a dynamic human with many capabilities, but, in this particular situation, his body is very much worn out; he has been awake for several days straight, already. Not only is he tired, but Adem's I.D. truly depicts him as a completely different person. As you will read soon enough, Vince is quite the hacker. Adem knew what information to tell the guards, to prove that he was apart of the case, because he is involved on the enemy's side. L would not have been able to know, here. Like I said already, L is dynamic. He is an impressive being, but he is still very much human (not all of his decisions in the actual series were on point; that proves he is normal, regardless of talents).**

**Aside from this, the continuation of this story contains a flashback. Mello's parents are mentioned and described in this chapter, as what my mind sees them to be. The names I picked for them fit the country of Slovenia, since Mello's name is Slovene. His father's name is rather different, but I will explain my reasons for choosing this name for him at the end of the chapter.**

**Well, I will get on with it now. Again, I hope this chapter will be enjoyed, and thank you for choosing this story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter 13**

**Origin of Obsession**

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The tracker on Mello's motorcycle was revealing its location on Vince's monitoring system. Oh, how even more exciting this was getting; he could see the red arrow traveling closer and closer towards his location!

_Adem has done a splendid job. I'll have to commend him later._

Mihael was coming, and Vince knew it wouldn't take too much longer for Mihael to arrive; he wasn't too far away, to begin with. In, perhaps, ten to fifteen minutes, that boy would be here. Vince wondered, whenever Mihael was to finally reach this premises, what the boy's reactions and emotions would be… Hopefully he would be revealing intense anger and hatred. Imagining that only made Vince feel even more unstoppable. From the way Mihael's body language was that day at the beach, it was very clear that he still had control over his feelings, even after ten years.

As he remembered what he had done to the boy's parents, so long ago, Vince felt content. He was more than happy to shoot that man, but that woman… his darling Angela… He had never wanted to end it that way, for her. Vince had sought after her from the very moment he saw her face…

Back in Slovenia—on the first day of his second year of college at Ljubljana University—Vince saw her one day, walking into the Advanced Chemistry classroom he was a part of. She had just begun going to the college. She was very beautiful. Her body was of average height, and she was slender, but curved appealingly. Her long hair looked as if it was spun from the finest of all gold, and her icy blue eyes were beyond compare. Her face, itself, looked saintly divine. Vince had never seen a lovelier person in his entire life. He immediately imagined himself embracing her beautiful form, stroking her silky looking hair…

As she had looked around the classroom, her eyes momentarily met Vince's gaze. He could feel himself blush, and he glanced away. He looked back up as the professor directed her to her seat… on the second row, right next to one of the most popular, young men in the college: Dragan Keehl.

Dragan was a very good looking man. He had a slightly darker shade of short, blond hair, stood at 5"9, was well built and slender, had a classically handsome face, and possessed an attractive set of hazel eyes. Dragan was almost always spending time in the campus' library, constantly improving his English skills. From what Vince had seen of Dragan's personality, through observation, he seemed to be a rather friendly person. He was always outgoing and went out of his way to help others, students and teachers alike.

For some reason, however, all of these things made Vince utterly sick. In fact, seeing Dragan sitting beside such a gorgeous creature made his emotions flare up in jealousy. Sure, Vince was usually annoyed by Dragan's presence, but he had never had any reason to hate him… until now.

The two were sitting on the opposite side of Vince, one row ahead. They were turned around, but Vince could see Dragan turn to her and ask her something. His expression told that he was somewhat shy, and Dragan had never been someone to reveal bashfulness. He had been around other girls before, but Dragan had never showed interest in any of them; he was always studying and involving himself in other activities.

Now, the beautiful girl, Angela, was handing him a beaker of some kind of blue liquid. He took it from her and set it over an alcohol lamp. They were just working on the assignment the professor had given… but Vince knew from Dragan's expression that he would surely make a move on her, soon enough. He certainly had the looks and personality to captivate her. Here he was, simple looking Vince Broz, and there he was, handsome and popular Dragan Keehl… That settled it; Vince was going to make the first move before Dragan would. He wanted her, and this nauseatingly 'nice' guy was not going to get in his way!

After class, Vince grabbed his supplies, and began to walk up to Angela's seat… only to hear Dragan ask her a question that made him furious to the core.

"Would you like for me to escort you around campus?" he had asked her.

She smiled and answered, "Yes."

Letting that subject drop, Vince then followed the two around campus, never once making himself known. At the end of the tour, he knew he could hear Dragan ask her if she wanted to go out with him, the following night. Vince hoped and hoped that she would refuse his answer, but, instead, she accepted his invitation. After hearing that, Vince stormed away, not bothering to hear where they were going. It was fine; he would sit back, watch them occasionally, and keep tabs on wherever they were and went. In the end, he was positive he would get Angela for himself and _only _himself.

Dragan and Angela's first date appeared to have gone well, because the next day in class the two were sitting even more closely together. Less than a week later, Dragan asked Angela if she would be his girlfriend, and she accepted. Vince was even more infuriated by this, so he finally approached Angela.

He asked if Angela was happy with Dragan. Of course, she had typically answered, "Yes." He then made an even bolder statement, by telling her that he thought she was beautiful and wanted "a chance". From hearing this, Angela began to look uncomfortable, but pitying, as well. She told him that she was flattered, but said that she was honestly comfortable with Dragan. After this, she bid him good-bye. Vince did not want to accept that answer, so he asked her again, more forwardly and insistently. He had even managed to sneak an insult about Dragan into his words. She paused, looked him in the eye with a slight glare, and firmly said, "I would appreciate it if you did not speak to me again."

Though he hated the rejection, Vince continued to follow her and Dragan around for months afterwards. The two only kept growing closer, and Vince was only getting angrier. They ate together, walked to their classes together, sat in the library together, and so on. Still, he kept watching them while they continued their innocent romance.

Months went by, and the pair still stayed together. They had a very stable relationship with one another, which was something that Vince loathed. From the looks of it, those two would be together for awhile. What Vince was originally looking for was any sort of blind spot within their relationship, so this was a problem.

Then the final day of their university's semester ended. Even though the two would not be on campus (Vince had broken ties with his family two years previous, and had an apartment close by the university), he would continue to keep tabs on them. Vince was young, and he already had a degree in Advanced Technology. He would have no problem in keeping up with their whereabouts.

The two were apart for a few days, but Vince knew—from overheard phone conversations—that they would have another of their dates, soon. He knew where it would happen, as well: Tivoli Park, in Ljubljana. Vince went there on the day specified and saw them sitting on the ground together. He hid from them well, and kept watch on them, throughout.

A few hours later, he saw Dragan take Angela by the hand and they both stood up on the blanket they had been sitting on. Dragan got closer to her, took her other hand, and began to tell her something that was obviously important. Vince could feel his stomach churning, as he watched Angela's eyes widen. No, what was Dragan doing?

Before long, Dragan had gotten down on one knee and pulled out a ring from his pocket. Vince restrained himself from gasping when he saw Angela tearfully nod her answer. She had accepted his proposal… and they shared a kiss, more than likely their first. This absolutely infuriated Vince. If this had happened in a more secluded area, he would have leapt out and attempted to kill Dragan. Instead, he looked away, not wanting to see anymore of the disgusting display. How could they be getting married, _already_? They had not even been dating for a whole year, yet!

After seeing this, he began to make plans on transferring out of the University of Ljubljana. Before the summer season was gone, Vince had his transcript made out to another university. He had already found another apartment, in a separate city, to live in, as well. He could not see his beloved Angela with Dragan again, now that they were engaged. In all basic terms, he had given up. He would still, however, be sure to check up on Angela whenever he could. There was no way he could possibly ever remove her from his mind forever.

After nearly a year had passed, he heard of Dragan and Angela's marriage. His jealousy intensified even more all over again, thinking of how that man would lie down with that gorgeous woman. Knowing this only made him want her even more. He wanted so badly to have her all to himself… Eventually, he knew he would have to do something; if he didn't, his intense jealousy would only continue to fester.

Two years later, after his time at his second university was finished, Vince checked up on Angela again… only to find out that she and Dragan had had their first child—a boy, that Angela had specifically named "Mihael"… Mihael Keehl…This infant, to Vince, was like that of half angel and half demon. To Vince, Angela was still_ his_ angel… and Dragan was beneath her. That was all Vince had ever thought; ever since the two first began dating, that was what he thought.

He would give them a few years, just to see if anything negative would happen between them, like he had always hoped. If not… Vince would forget the mercy and patience he had been demonstrating and would give Angela a choice. He already knew what he would do.

_Vince allowed six years to pass, and now he could not take it any longer. He had already known where his beloved was living, along with her son and 'that man'. Tonight was the night he would see her, face to face, again. Tonight, she would surely be his._

_He broke into their home from the back entrance, skillfully and quietly, being sure to make himself completely inconspicuous. He had always been good at camouflaging himself, but, in the past few years of his life, he had only gotten better. He had even tried out his abilities further, by stealing from various stores. Never, not even once, had he been caught or suspected. This task here would be a complete breeze._

_The lights were off, and nobody was home. Vince knew this, for he had been watching the family for the past few days. The family was out tonight. All he had to do was wait for the unsuspecting bunch to come home. _

_Before he came, Vince decided to dress in a more dressed up fashion. A white dress shirt, black jacket, and black pants—all completely spotless—was his choice of attire. He did, after all, want to look suitable in front of such a beautiful woman. In his jacket's pocket, there was a loaded gun. If things were to get out of hand, then he would have to resort to another, vaguely unwanted method. If that were to happen, he wanted to make sure that he couldn't be tracked down. On his hands, he wore superficial, black gloves. On the bottom of his shoes, there was a special padding that would prevent his footprints from being shown. Most intruders would more than likely wear a mask over their heads or faces, but Vince wanted for the two to see his face. That, in itself, was a bit of risk, because that left more of an opportunity for hair follicles to be left behind. His black hair fell to his shoulders, so he tied back. Perhaps, that would help? He didn't know._

_Aside from that, all he would do now was wait within the darkness of his angel's dwelling place. He was currently standing in the family's kitchen area, which was connected to the den. He looked at what he could see of the kitchen—whatever was illuminated by the moonlight's shine, from the room's windows. The moon's rays fell upon two, particular ornaments, which lay upon the countertop. Vince took them in his hand, smirking to himself. He then pocketed them, wanting the objects for himself. He knew both of them surely had to belong to Angela and Dragan. Angela's item would be something for him to always have; it would be for him and _only_ him. As for Dragan's item… If things did not go well tonight, then his article would become a fine trophy._

I wonder why such personal items are just lying around, anyway, _Vince thought. He didn't think too much into why that was and continued to wait within the dark house. He didn't have to wait too long, however, for he had timed an estimate of when the family would come home. Vince knew they were going to dinner and a movie, afterwards, so he thought of an approximation of when they would return. He planned on sneaking into the house twenty to thirty minutes in advance and, so far, everything was going according to plan._

_Vince smirked in anticipation. He was livened up in just being in this house, alone. He allowed his eyes to wander from the kitchen to the living room's space. His gaze immediately caught something, beside one of the room's windows. He walked over to the little side table it was resting on and picked it up. Vince's eyes slightly narrowed, as he looked into the picture inside of the rectangular frame. In the photo, there was Dragan and Angela, along with their young son… _Mihael_… Then, Vince grinned, looking at the image of the little boy. _

He looks just like her_, he thought gladly. _He may be cursed with the blood of that incommodious man, but at least this child was blessed with the appearance of Angela.

_Suddenly, Vince heard the sound of a vehicle pulling in front of the house. They were home. _

_He smiled, as he put the picture's frame back down onto the table and hurried back over to where he stood originally—the line that separated the kitchen from the den. Once the door would open, and the lights turned on, he would be the first thing the family would see. Vince had to contain himself from excited laughter, as he removed his gun from his pocket. He could hear footsteps near the door. _

Any second, now.

_A key was inserted into the door's lock._

That door will open…

_The door opened, and Vince raised his gun. _

And then I'll say…

_The lights turned on._

"_Freeze!" Vince shouted, causing for the family of three to jump in shock. _

Welcome home, my dear Angela.

_Vince looked at each of their faces. First, he looked at Dragan. His expression was that of alarm and slight stability. Vince was glad to see that fear and wondered what Dragan would do. Then, he looked upon the face of his frightened angel. She looked enormously terrified, and her son was gripping her arm. Vince's eyes trailed down to the little blond boy that held onto his mother so tightly. His innocent eyes only revealed terror, as he gazed up into Vince's dark eyes._

_Dragan vaguely raised both of his hands. "Look, we don't want any trouble," he started off in Slovene. "What do you want?"_

He's trying to reconcile with me. _"What do _I _want?" Vince laughed at him, in mockery. "You don't even know who I am, do you?" _He surely doesn't remember me: plain and simple Vince Broz.

_Dragan's eyes squinted, as if he were trying to place a name and face. "N-No."_

Heh, he sounds scared. Good. I didn't expect for him to remember me, anyway. Angela doesn't remember me; I can see it in her eyes. Maybe what I say next will remind her… and it will remind _Dragan_ that he's not dealing with some pushover.

"_You stole the only woman I ever had eyes for!" Vince felt worked up, now. "I can't believe she's still with a low-life like you!"_

_Suddenly, a flood of remembrance was visible within Angela's eyes. She gasped, her expression disbelieving. "Vince?" She looked even more disturbed now than before._

"_Yeah!" Vince responded. He was _so _happy that, somehow, his darling had remembered him. _

_He now aimed his gun directly at Dragan and looked into his face. His expression, now, showed a remembrance for him, as well. A very unsettled, yet goaded, spark was engraved into his facial features and eyes. _Perhaps Angela has told him about me? Heh, heh, I wonder what he's thinking. _"I came here to take back what's mine!"_ _Those words were directly meant for Dragan, and Vince hoped that he felt threatened, somehow._

"_She was never _yours_, Vince!" Dragan boldly spoke out towards Vince. That statement, right there, told Vince that Dragan definitely knew who he was. "You only lust for her; that isn't real love!"_

It isn't? Really, now…

"_You stalked her," Dragan's voice was intensifying in anger, but remained to have an undertone of calmness, "because of her looks and only that!"_

Is now the first time he has understood me following her, or did he ever know? _Vince thought to himself, without dropping his gun or gaze. _He's not saying how he knows, but he knows… and it bothers him. I like that.

"_Please, Vince," Dragan began again, with a bit of a softer, beseeching tone, "she married me. We have a son… He doesn't need to see this!"_

_Vince was growing rather impatient. He wanted to hear what _Angela _thought about this. What did _she _think? _

"_Vince."_

She's speaking!

"_Please leave."_

… What?

"_I know your feelings for me, but I have never felt that way for you." Her voice had been quivering, and she was truly pleading with everything. She sounded as if she were consoling with a small child or animal, rather than an adult man._

_Vince could feel his eye twitch. Could she not see the love he was trying to demonstrate for her?_

"_Please, just leave us alone," Angela asked of him, once more. Her eyes were earnestly saying what she had just asked._

She's rejecting me… again. _Vince looked at Dragan. _This man… I _hate_ him, for stealing and mesmerizing her. _He looked at Angela. _My angel… I wish I could have gotten to you, first. You will always be trapped within his web of false entrancement, only to never know that a better man was waiting for you. Though, I can't change your mind, I will always love you. _Lastly, he looked upon the fearful face of little Mihael. _Even though you are partially of 'his' blood… I can never fully hate you, for you are also Angela.

_Suddenly, Vince could feel himself uncontrollably smile. His pistol was still pointed towards Dragan, and he knew what he would have to do. This next act would separate Dragan and Angela forever!_

"_So that's how it is," Vince pondered aloud. _Hell is waiting for you, Dragan!

_Vince fired his weapon. The bullet directly penetrated Dragan's chest, through his heart, and he fell to the hard, wooden floor._

_Angela screamed in horror, and, before she could turn to her fallen husband, Vince quickly shot a bullet through her chest, through the heart, as well. _Angela, my angel, rest in the higher place.

_She fell to the floor beside her husband, and young Mihael fell alongside her. He was between them both and hadn't uttered a single noise, yet._

_Vince lowered his gun, feeling very accomplished with himself. "If I couldn't have her, no one could."_

_He walked in front of the fallen couple, and their still living son. Mihael was slowly becoming more soaked in his parents' blood, and his eyes were wide with evident questions and shock. He was so vulnerable, so frightened… and Vince felt he should let him live, because of those outer showing emotions. Besides, he didn't want to kill Angela twice._

_Knowing that he would have to leave now, Vince only had this to say, to Mihael: "Good evening, boy." After that, Vince stepped out of the front door's opening—which had still been open, from when the family of three had come home—and fled the quiet area. The Keehl's house was separated from the main road, so he was fortunate to be able to make a clean getaway. If someone had heard the gunshots, it still wouldn't matter. Vince would still escape, and no evidence would turn up; he was quite positive about that._

My angel may have fallen, but at least that imp of a husband she chose can now reside in a place that is not of her. It's over… It's all over, now.

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No, it wasn't over. Ten years later, he encountered Mihael again… What were the odds of that actually happening, if it wasn't meant to be? In a small matter of time, that boy, that same, frightened, little boy who lost his parents—from a passion driven murder—ten years ago, would be in his presence…

_I've prepared for everything. It will be very soon now, Mihael…_very_ soon._

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**And that is where I will leave it. If any of you read "Bonding Experience", the story before this one, you might remember Mello's flashback in losing his parents from his perspective, when he told Near about it. Now you read what horrible, disturbing things Vince was thinking throughout. Not only that, but, as the title says, you now understand the 'origin of his obsession' with Mello's mother.**

**As for Mello's parents' names, I imagined Angela for his mother, which of course means 'angel'. It is a well-used name in certain parts of Europe, apparently. As for Mello's father's name, I'm sure some of you, if not most of you, thought that was a weird choice. For some reason, I just wanted to give his father a very bold name. The name 'Dragan' actually means 'precious', which doesn't look too fitting. X) I wanted a very bold name that a had a nice meaning to it, since I imagined his father the way he is here, so I used it. I rather like it. ^^**

**As for what happens next... You shall eventually see.**

**Once again, I wthank you all for reading! I hope to read good things about my story from you, if not read good questions. I love reading your voices. :)**

**Thank you, for reading and, depending on where some of you live, Happy Halloween!**


	15. Temporarily Frozen

**I'm back with another installment! I still thank everyone who has clicked on this story; I get excited when I see how many people have read it or read a nice comment about my work. I appreciate it all. ^_^**

**The last chapter described how Vince wound up getting wrapped up into Mello's life in the first place. Unfortunately, in this story's case, Mello's parents' fates were sealed the moment Vince saw Angela. Vince was already a rather... unstable person beforehand (that'll be mentioned more profoundly later), but his insanity tipped even more when he could not possess what he desired. Mello is now drawing closer towards reaching Vince. He's very close now, but what of the others? Near, Matt, and L are still left unaware of where Mello went. In this chapter, which I hope I've conveyed well through the characters, they will realize he is missing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter 14**

**Temporarily Frozen**

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"Whoa, Near, you've got a _lot _of different games in here, aside from all of the toys you have," Matt awed, scoping the marvelous amount of play-things in Near's room's closet. "It's a freakin' huge load!"

"It's no different from your room's closet, Matt," Near retorted. "I still don't know how many video games and other pieces of technology you have residing in your closet and drawers."

"… Touché," Matt replied, as he reached his hand into the closet and pulled out one of Near's card stack containers. "You have, like… well, a lot of these," he said, referencing to the cards.

"Thirty stacks, to be precise."

"Huh… and your dice collection? I know you've got a lot of those, too."

"I have twenty-five sets of those."

"Dominos?" Matt continued, his eyes continuously scanning over the numerous toys and games. "How about those?"

"Yes," Near answered, "I have those. Twenty sets."

"Nice." The brunette nodded to himself, looking above the card stacks. There rested a very old-fashioned box of chess. Above that box were dozens of puzzle boxes. Then, towards the bottom of the organized mass of things, there were a few robots and medium-sized cardboard boxes of unknown contents. _This is pretty cool. I knew he had some cool stuff, but I've never really looked at them all before._

Matt's eye caught something in the corner, and he reached over to pick it up. _A stuffed dog?_ This toy didn't look old, but it had that feel to it—that it was. It only consisted of the two, uncomplicated colors of black and white, and its eyes, nose, and mouth were simply woven into its fuzzy face.

"That's actually one of the few toys I have from my younger years," Near said, stepping closer towards his older brother. "You know, before the orphanage."

Matt looked into Near's eyes, seeing that they were directly focused on the stuffed toy. He then looked down and saw that Near's index finger was resting on the tip of the dog's threaded, black nose. _This one must mean a little more to him._

"This stuffed animal, to me, was one of the best things I had, at that age and time. Kind of like a friend, if that makes much sense…" Near lowered his finger and made eye contact with Matt. "So, would you like to get the cards ready?"

"Uh… yeah," Matt grinned slightly, placing the stuffed dog down onto the nightstand beside the bed. He and Near then stooped to their knees and began to take the cards out of their holders. _I'm glad at least one thing made him happy, during that time with his parents. _

"Hey, Near," Matt started out, "how do you get your card towers to stay in place and not fall? I mean, I've seen you stack towers of toothpicks and matches before, and they never fell over."

"It's really all just a matter of placing and balancing them properly," Near answered him, taking out one more stack of cards.

"Can you give me a little tutorial before Mello shows up?" Matt asked, grinning mischievously. "I want a little head start."

Near's lips smirked halfway, and, before he could answer, the room's light completely darkened. Both boys naturally wondered what was going on.

"Is this a power outage or something?" Matt pondered aloud, looking around the dark atmosphere.

"I'm not sure," Near replied. "There is no storm going on, and, unless there are people working on a power line, or some defective wiring is at fault, I can't think of it being anything else."

Matt nodded once. "Yeah, I agree. Plus, I thought this building was supposed to have more power; L always tries to keep everything in check, no matter where we are."

"That's true… Look through the window and see if other buildings and street lights are dark."

Matt stood up and looked through the room's window. "Huh… From what I can see, of the north side of the city, everything seems to be operating just fine. I don't see a large amount of lights off or anything."

"… Do you think something's wrong?" Near suddenly asked, his voice somewhat rigid.

"Wrong?" Matt questioned. His stomach tightened slightly, from the sound of Near's tone. "What are you thinking?"

"Mello hasn't shown up, yet," Near stated. "He should have been here, by now. We haven't heard him at all…" _Something seems to be very wrong, here._

…_There's no way…could Mello be in trouble? _Matt's eyes widened, and he pulled out his cell phone, which luckily happened to be in one of his pajama pants' pockets. A small light was installed onto the back of the phone, and so he activated it. A little beam of white light then shone out. "We're going to Mello's room. Right now."

Near stood up right away and followed Matt to Mello's room.

"Mels?" Matt called out, once they had reached the room's open door. Matt shined the small light into the room, and he and Near stepped inside. "Mels…!" There was no one to be seen… but the black pajamas Mello had been wearing before, which were strewn across the floor. His top and middle dresser drawers were open, and his motorcycle helmet, which had been resting on top of the dresser, was gone.

Near looked up at his older brother's vaguely illuminated face. His eyes were wide and bothered, his mouth partly agape. He knew, as well as Near knew, what had happened… and both were sickeningly afraid. It didn't take a lot of thought to know what had happened at all, for they both knew who had been haunting Mello's mind. Even though Mello had said he was fine, it was a lie that neither Near or Matt could ever buy. The only question was how, exactly, did Mello get out? Did he plan and cause for the power to go out, or was it a chance coincidence?

"L hasn't called for us…" Matt suddenly realized. "Do you think he's all right?"

"I'm sure he is," Near responded quietly, his tone giving off a sense of worry, "but I know Mello isn't."

"M-Maybe, L got to Mello first?" Matt was hoping for that.

"…" Near shook his head. "No… I don't think so…"

Near then, without realization and hesitation, grabbed Matt's arm, pulled him out of the room, and began to quickly guide him towards and down the stairs. Matt shined his light ahead—while still allowing for Near to pull him along—so that they wouldn't trip down the stairs. When the two got to the second floor, they hurried to L's monitoring room. Two handheld flashlights were the only sources of light, in there, held by the guards L had chosen: Esteban and Henderson.

Esteban and Henderson shined their lights towards the room's entrance, once Matt and Near had come running in.

"What happened?" Matt asked them. _Hopefully it isn't as bad as Near and I think. I know Near's already expecting the worse; I don't want that to be true!_

"We're not sure," Henderson spoke first. "We're trying to figure that out, now. Will the both of you get Ryuzaki and alert him of what's happened?"

"He's not in here?" Matt questioned. He and Near could barely see anything in the room, but they had both assumed that their father was in here, too.

"He's asleep," a new voice spoke up. "He put me in charge of the monitors, while he did so."

"Who are you?" Near asked the question, on both his and Matt's minds, first. "I don't recognize your voice."

"I'm Jarred Caden," the man said. "I was signed into this case, today."

Matt and Near looked at each other, both knowing for sure that Mello was gone. Had Mello been waiting for L to go to sleep and then shut the power off, somehow, or was the light going off still a coincidence? It didn't matter right now; they had to find Mello!

"Where's he at?" Matt asked urgently.

"On this floor, door to the right," Jarred answered.

Matt and Near then backed out of the room and ran towards that door. Matt pointed his phone's light towards the door, and he flung it open, revealing the sleeping detective. It only made sense for L not to know what was going on.

Matt and Near hastily went over to the bed's side, and they began to shake the man awake.

"Dad!" Matt instinctively shouted. "Wake up!"

L's eyes opened to the shaking, as well as the title of 'Dad' being used. The tone of Matt's voice also caused for him to wake more quickly. He sat up and was greeted with a small light, as well as Near and Matt. "Boys, what-"

"Dad!" Matt cut in, repeating that title. His apprehensive tone had not yet dropped. "There's something wrong!"

When L heard those words, he instantly thought Matt was referring to Mello. Near and Matt were the only ones around to wake him, and the tone in Matt's voice was so stressed… _It's Mello, I know it is… _"What's happened?"

* * *

With each and every second, Mello was getting closer and closer towards his destination. He revved up the speed on his motorcycle every single chance he got, just to get there sooner. _Almost there…just a few more minutes, until I'm there, Vince. You'll pay; I swear you will! I'll make you wish that you never crossed me, again! I'll make you regret everything!_

* * *

L didn't want to believe it; he just didn't! Matt and Near had told him Mello was gone.

First of all, L was informed, by both Near and Matt, that the power had gone out. He felt momentarily reassured to know that the concern wasn't Mello, but he did question why the power had gone out at all. His relief was then cut, when Matt and Near revealed to him that Mello was not there.

After hearing this, and trying to make sure that the two were absolutely sure of this, the great detective sprang out of his bed and ran towards the opposite side of the apartment's floor. _Matt and Mello's car and motorcycle are both down there. If the motorcycle is gone…_

When L skid to a halt in front of the window and looked down, he didn't want to believe his eyes… The tarp that had been covering Mello's motorcycle had been tossed to the ground, and the vehicle was gone… _Mello_ was gone, just as Matt and Near had told him. _Mello has gone out on his own… to find Vince. What is he _thinking_? How does he expect to find that man? I know he's been anxious, but, really… Does he have an idea, or was he notified, somehow? No, that can't be it; this place has been completely watched over this entire time! _

"What do we do, now?" Matt asked his father, his heart pounding recklessly within his chest. "How do we find him?"

Near just looked out of the window, peering out into the dark night. This very moment Mello was out there, searching for a monster. He had escaped so quickly; he and Matt never saw it coming. _It's obvious that he planned this out… but how? I don't understand how he managed to do this._

"Matt, call Mello's cell phone number," L told the brunette, as he still gazed out of the window.

"I don't think he took it along," Matt responded, "but I'll still try it out." He then speed dialed Mello's number, put the phone up to his ear, and waited. Matt was sure that Mello didn't take his phone with him, and he was right. The only answer they all received was the extremely faint ringing sound of Mello's cell phone, from somewhere within the apartment. _I'm sure L knew it wouldn't work, but he wanted to be sure…_

L's shoulders tensed slightly before he turned around and started back down the dark hallway, with Near and Matt following him. "Mr. Esteban," L firmly addressed the Hispanic guard, as he walked into the blackened monitoring room, "I want for you and Mr. Henderson to go and fix the power circuits immediately. Mello has snuck out, and, if I am to track him, then we need the power back."

The two asked no questions and instantly left the room, leaving one of their flashlights with the third guard. They had definitely overheard, from Matt, that Mello was gone. They definitely didn't want for something to go badly.

"Mr. Caden," L addressed the new 'guard', "Did you happen to see Mello, or anything suspicious, before the power went out?"

"Before the lights went out, I saw the other boys with Mello, in his room," Caden (Adem) responded.

"Near, Matt, did Mello act as if something was wrong?" L asked them.

"He seemed a little different, at first," Matt straightforwardly answered, "but then he started joking around, so I assumed he was fine. He's been really tired, you know, so I thought that was probably why he was a bit off."

"Near, how about you?" L asked him, next.

"It's basically the same as what Matt said," Near told him. "I honestly didn't think there was something wrong, until after the lights went out."

"You both weren't with him when it happened, then."

"No," Matt answered this time. "I told Mello that he was going to hang out with me and Near, tonight. When we were about to go to Near's room, Mello said he would follow us soon…"

L let out a brief exhale through his nose. "And, Near, why did you think something had gone wrong after the lights went out? Did you two hear anything?"

"No, we didn't," Near responded. "That was why I thought something was wrong—it was because Matt and I couldn't hear Mello after it had happened. When we went back to Mello's room to check on him, it was like we had told you before; the clothes Mello was wearing before were on the floor, and his drawers were open. He quickly changed, grabbed his motorcycle helmet, and left… That had to have been what happened."

"… Mr. Caden," L addressed him again, his voice a little sharper. "Did you not see Mello do any of that?"

"I did," Adem replied, "but, in my defense, I had no idea of what he was doing. That boy, Near, is right. All of what he said, Mello did. I saw him sneak past the room Near and Matt were in and go down the stairs. While that was happening, the lights went down. I tried to find him myself after that, but he was nowhere to be seen. I didn't see him again."

"… Really," L contemplated, his eyes narrowing. "Mello did all of that, plus escape unseen, in such a quick manner?"

"It sounds ridiculous," Adem said, his face expressing great disappoint in himself, "and I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't hear him or see him escape, but he really slipped away. I'm really very sorry, sir; I don't expect to be forgiven for this. Maybe it's because I'm new, but I honestly don't know what else to tell you," he breathed lightly, "I'm really confused about this, myself."

L shook his head, unsure of what to think of this whole thing. Mr. Caden sounded like he was being honest in what he was saying, and that that was what had happened, but it just seemed far too outlandish. _There has to be more. Could Mello have actually plotted a way to sneak out of this apartment without my knowing? I've been watching everyone; I don't see how Mello could have come up with a way to turn off the power, of this entire residence, and escape. Then again, he is a brilliantly intelligent boy, so it isn't impossible. Still, though, that doesn't tell me a thing. Whatever may have happened can wait; right now, I have to focus on tracking him down, before he finds Vince, or vice versa. As soon as the power is back on, I'll have him._

Matt leaned against the wall, next to the door, and slid all the way to the carpeted floor. What he and Near had been hoping against had happened. What was scaring Matt, were the echo of Near's words from the previous night: _"-if Mello doesn't settle down, his nerves are going to get the better of him. I fear that he will either succumb to them, or act out impulsively; possibly the latter." _

The latter, Near was referring to, had happened. It was perfectly prophesied. Mello couldn't take whatever he was feeling anymore and acted out impulsively. That was what Matt was assuming… and that other phrase Near had mentioned was reverberating inside the back of his mind, as well. That one sentence was now repeating through his mind and would not go away.

"_His life could be snuffed out, far too soon."_

Near did the same as Matt and sat right beside his brother, on the floor. Both were silent and only thought of where Mello was and what he was doing or about to be doing.

A little over two years ago, Mello had made a promise to Near; a precious, innocent promise that Near was still hoping Mello would keep… to be there, as a guide and friend, for him and for Matt. Right now, as Near thought of this, he was afraid that Mello's promise would not be fulfilled.

_Please don't break it, Mello, _Near thought strongly towards the blond, wherever he was. _I don't want you to break that promise over something reckless. We need you, Mello… Stay out of danger._

* * *

_There it is. That has to be it. _

Mello was now on the south side of Glendale, L.A. He could see the side road and rusted sign that nameless man had informed him of. Without stopping his motorcycle, Mello turned onto that separate road. He sped up his vehicle again the moment he was entirely off of the main highway. At the speed Mello was going, it didn't take him long to actually see the warehouse, despite the curves in the road.

_Finally._

As Mello halted his motorcycle directly in front of the ominous, gated warehouse, he could feel his heart's pulse quicken again. He took off his helmet and glared at the large building. He wanted so desperately to hop off of his motorcycle, that instant, and barge inside to strangle the life out of that sordid man… but, for some reason, he couldn't move. Mello's body would not budge at all, despite his desire of wanting to kill Vince.

_What am I waiting for? This is the opportunity that I've been waiting for… for the greater part of my life! _Mello continued to think self-questioning thoughts, as he motionlessly looked at that warehouse. Vince was the one who had put him through so much pain, sadness, anger, hatred… This man deserved death for killing his parents and putting him through such a traumatic experience! Vince didn't just deserve death; he deserved to smolder within the fires of Hell!

Even though Mello felt all of these raw emotions, his body still refused to let him move. His stomach felt like it was internally constricting. He not only felt the forceful beating of his heart, but he could also hear it far too clearly. His heart didn't even feel like it was in his chest, but rather inside his ear cavities, instead. _Is it because I'm nervous?_ That self-asked question would be reasonable to believe, but it didn't stop there and Mello knew that. That was when a theoretic thought hit him_… or is my conscience trying to tell me otherwise—that I shouldn't take this matter into my own hands… Maybe it's both._

That had to be what was bugging him. That was how it felt, at least. As the records of life usually showed, revenge was not something that always turned out so sweetly. Whatever happened, on either side, would have serious consequences…

Then, all of a sudden, the images of _that _night placed themselves into Mello's mind. His doubting feelings turned into that deep desire of passionate vengeance all over again. _If I walk away now_, _that man will never truly pay for what he did to me… did to them… _And Shawn, as well as his parents, needed to be avenged. That poor boy shouldn't have been taken away from his parents like that, and it still hurt Mello to know that Shawn had been killed for the sole purpose of Vince trying to get to him. That was it—a meaningless, cruel, unfair death… Even though Mello still knew he couldn't have helped it, it didn't make him feel any less guilty. Shawn wouldn't have died if they had never met…

Mello then thought of his family. L, his father, and Near and Matt, his brothers… If he failed to come back, after an attempt to kill Vince, what would they do or think? Would they even know where to look for him? _Now that I think about it, what could they be thinking right now? They have to know I'm missing, by now. _Was that anonymous guy still back at the apartment? Had he made some kind of cover for Mello, or had he already escaped, as well? Mello didn't know, but he certainly didn't care, right now. Now was the time to move; he felt ready to go inside… but, before Mello was about to stand up, an abrupt remembrance of innocent words flowed throughout his memory.

"_Mello, I want you to make a promise that I hope you'll keep."_

_That vow…_

"_I want you to promise that as the three of us—you, me, and Matt—grow together as brothers…"_

_That vow I promised to Near…_

"_-that no matter what situation we are thrown into…"_

_An ultimate swear, I made._

"_-you will always be there as our guide and friend… as the oldest brother should be… Will you promise to always be there for us… for me?"_

… There was no way Mello could walk inside of that building without the possibility of that promise being broken. As Mello already knew, he probably wouldn't even get a chance to return. Who knew what Vince was going to do to him? That promise he and Near had made a few years ago was something that Mello truly had intended to keep. _I want to keep it. I really do, but…_

Mello took a deep breath and finally got off of his motorcycle. He began to walk towards the closed gate, which surrounded Vince's personal asylum. _I'm fully aware of the danger of putting myself in front of this psychotic man, but I don't care. This is a personal, and very possible, suicide mission. A second ago, I had mixed feelings of even doing this, but I'm sure now… and I'm ready to accept the consequences of whatever will happen. _Even though Mello knew he was selfish for wanting to take out this revenge, he knew he didn't have a choice in deciding against it, either. If he turned around, L, Matt, and Near would all… _No, _I_ would rather die first._

Mello just hoped that if he was to die that Vince wouldn't set out to kill his family, regardless of their deal. Then again, why would Vince do that? Vince was only after Mello, and everyone else was simply a hostage. Vince was a sadistic maniac anyway, so he would probably make the news of his death clear to his family and then vanish forever… None of these possible theories mattered anymore. Mello knew that whatever would happen could not be helped. It was a helpless situation, but there was nothing he could do.

Mello forced that rusted gate open and continued on towards his fate. His heart pounded with a wrathful drive, as he walked closer and closer. _I hope he'll forgive me, for this… I hope they all will._

* * *

**Some, or all of you, may remember the prologue of this story, at this point. The ending of this chapter was that prologue. Now we've reached a truly big part of the story. Mello is going to be confronting Vince head on, soon. In the very next chapter, he will be meeting him. Obviously this won't turn out very well... and I could be referring to either Vince or Mello, really. Just know that, from this upcoming encounter, it's going to get very heavy, very quickly.**

**As for the chapter title, you can see how both sides (Mello's and his family's) were 'temporarily frozen'. Mello was unable to move within his own thoughts, and knowing he is near Vince now. Near, Matt, and L are currently unable to do anything, thus 'frozen' where they are.**

**I'll mention this, concerning how Adem wasn't called out for not 'watching' Mello properly. L has a hard time believing him, but, because of Adem's true guilt in even being apart of Vince's schemes, he is revealing a lot of true angst. L believes him through that, just by his body language and response; he is just kept in the dark about what it is Adem, or 'Mr. Caden' in this case, is truly upset about. Also, as well as Near and Matt, he is truly just concerned about getting Mello back, without pointing fingers at the moment. It seems logical that 'point and blame' would be below getting track of his son, now. He's got a plan. As for Near and Matt, it's out of their hands. They are afraid and feel horrible for not realizing something was up sooner with Mello and that he was able to sneak off without them realizing (the fact that it happened so quickly also bothers them). Mello had made a promise to Near in the very last chapter of "Bonding Experience," the story before this one. Mello had promised Near exactly what the flash back mentioned, that he would be there for him and Matt. Mello hates that he may break that promise, which is a big possibility now, but there is truly no going back after this point. To me, I think Mello would be the type of person to hate breaking vows/promises, in general. He truly hates that he may not return and give heart ache to his family, here.**

**Oh, and one more thing. For those who read "Bonding Experience," there was a reference to it made at the beginning of the chapter. Near's stuffed dog, the one Matt found, is the same toy that Near had with him in the flash back of his parents abandoning him at a young age. He still has it with him. Truly, this stuffed dog was Near's first 'friend'... **

**I would like to thank you all for reading. I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter and like what I have in store. **

**Also, early Happy Holidays! I hope the season will be very wonderful for everyone. Not to sound cheesy, but aim to do something good for someone. You may be the cause of someone's first smile of the day or even week, ^_^**


	16. Raw

**Happy New Year to everyone! I hope to become even better this year in my skills as a writer, in general. There are many things I want to carry out in my writing, so I hope that what I do with this story will still be enjoyed. Thank you to all who chose to read this!**

**I'll be quick here, so we can move along with this story. I've meant to post this for awhile, now! In the last segment, Mello was just reaching his destination and his family is worried for him. Near and Matt feel helpless in the situation, for they don't know what will become of Mello. They, and L as well, wonder if they will even see him again alive, if alive at all. Near is afraid that Mello will break their promise of brotherhood, and Mello is equally concerned. He does not want to break it, but does he have any other choice? He too wonders if he will survive.**

**Now, in this upcoming chapter, Mello will finally meet Vince face to face again. This is the first time Mello will actually see Vince's eyes, ever since he was a child. This chapter is what I call tense and 'raw'. I hope you readers will feel the same way.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Raw**

* * *

_Ah, he's made it, _Vince thought, as he hungrily gazed at his tracking system's monitor. The red arrow had stopped, right on this warehouse's area. He stood up as he heard the sound of a motorcycle come to a dying halt.

_Well then, I suppose it's time to greet him._

* * *

Mello went up to the first door his eyes rested on and opened it without hesitation. The moment the door creaked open, Mello paused his steps to look inside. It was dim, and the air inside was cold and musky. The blond's heart skipped a beat, as he swallowed lightly and took his first step forward. He could scarcely see what was around him, but he could plainly see another door directly across the wide, yet medium-sized, room.

_Maybe, he's in there… _He felt more nervous now, than he had outside. Mello could feel his throat burn in anticipation, as he continued to walk forward. He couldn't stop now… and, though he felt childish for this feeling this way, he just wanted to get out of this dark room. The door ahead had light rimming its edges. Honestly, Mello wanted to face Vince in the light, rather than the darkness, though he was not looking forward to seeing his face.

Upon reaching the door, Mello took a deep breath, placed his hand on the knob… and thrust it open. What was on the other side of the door was a large, voiding space. It wasn't bright in this spacious area, but there was plenty of light to make the room visible. A few pieces of furniture, a small television, pieces of scattered technology, and various boxes rested throughout the room.

Mello took a few more steps inside and cautiously looked around. His eyes scanned over everything in the room, but he saw no one. Where was Vince? Mello knew that Vince had to be watching him, by some means, from within this building. He was obviously trying to toy with his nerves, some more. He was around, and Mello could feel the wicked presence of his sinister spirit clouding the air. _He's close… but where-_

Suddenly, both of Mello's arms were tightly grabbed from behind. His right arm was instantly twisted around his back, while his left one was firmly pinned to his side. The abrupt action made Mello gasp in shock. His eyes widened and his breath stilled, when he felt someone press themselves against him. Mello's skin and blood chilled as the person rubbed their face against the back of his head and through his hair… he could feel the person's breath slowly engulf his right ear, in short, easy outtakes. Every bit of confidence Mello had before had completely vanished and was replaced with alarm.

"Mihael…" a dark, tendering tone sounded, "It has been so long."

Mello didn't know how to respond to this. He incoherently recited Vince's name within his thoughts, but the rest of his mind was numb and blank. He could only stand there, trapped within this man's grasp.

Vince smirked and stroked the side of his head against Mello's head, causing the boy to wince and slightly lean his head to the left. Vince wanted to laugh at this revealed vulnerability, but still kept his head somewhat pressed against Mello's.

"Dear Mihael..." Vince's soft, yet venomous voice continued, "You have grown to look so much like Angela."

_Mom…_The fog in Mello's mind disappeared, once Vince had mentioned his mother's name. He felt his facial expression settle out, though he knew his eyes still exposed his weakness. His negative emotions churned, but he was still incapable of moving at the moment. He could only listen to more of the disgusting things Vince had to say.

Vince turned his face more pointedly towards Mello's, while still compressing the side of his face into the boy's right temple. "Your skin, eyes, hair… just like hers… Ti si tako lepa."*

Mello's eyes widened even more, from those disturbing words. He understood how to translate the Slovene-spoken words perfectly. The words were sickening and insolent to his deceased mother. He could feel himself beginning to squirm. _Let me go._

"Tako lepa," Vince repeatedly whispered, in his hushed Slovene tongue, "I can feel her…" his hand's grip on Mello's left arm loosened, traveled down to his wrist, and tightened again. He, once more, caressed his face into Mello's silky, blond hair.

Mello could feel his lower lip begin to quiver, and his inner nerves shook. Was Vince honestly about to try and… _No… Let me _go_! _He couldn't take it anymore; Mello instantly tried to break away from the warped man's grasp. He managed to rip his left arm out of Vince's hold, but the man quickly seized it once again. Vince then twisted Mello's left arm behind him, along with his already pinned back right arm and firmly held him there.

Mello continued to try and break free, but, the more he writhed, the tighter the grip on his wrists became. During the struggle, Mello could feel Vince force both of his wrists together. One of his strong hands clenched around them, still making Mello unable to free himself. _What is he _doing_?_ Mello soon felt Vince's free hand grab his hair, at the nape of his neck, and force it back. His gaze was forced to look up to the right of him. There, Mello finally met Vince's soulless, black gaze. He held his breath. Then, Vince inclined Mello's head further up, until they were barely touching noses.

"Oh… did I frighten you?" Vince nonchalantly asked the teenager, as if it was casual talk.

Mello's partially widened eyes narrowed in response to what he just heard. Had that been the goal—to scare him? Mello was confused, but his anger and hatred were beginning to find their way back into his heart. One moment ago Vince had been acting as if he was a delusional, sex offender and now he was speaking as if he hadn't been—considerately even? His persona, in tone, had completely changed. In fact, it was as if it were _that _night all over again. First Vince was a jealous murderer, and then he had left normally with a polite demeanor… Was that all just apart of the sick, purposeful game Vince had been playing? Was he just insane in the mind? _I can't believe I let him get to me, already!_ _I _swear_, I'll k-_

Vince then, unexpectedly and entirely, let go of Mello and knocked his feet out from under him with a quick swipe of his leg. Mello hit the hard, dark-tiled floor with an echoing thud. Because it had been unanticipated, Mello found himself slightly winded after his back directly met the floor. Once he caught his breath, he opened his eyes to look at the man towering above his fallen body. After a short exchange of expression from both of them, Vince threw back his head and laughed. The unsettling laughter grew in octave, as well as pitch, and filled the spacious room.

Mello glared up at the man in disbelief, wanting more than anything to leap at the man's throat and tear out his vocal chords… so he tried. Mello hopped to his feet and launched a hand towards Vince's throat. Vince, who didn't even shift, easily caught Mello's hand within his own. Mello retaliated, by rapidly trying to throw his other hand into Vince's throat. He got the same result. Vince caught that hand as well and grinned with ease.

"My, my, aren't we feisty, today?" Vince playfully contemplated, looking into Mello's eyes with mock sincerity.

_I can't _believe_ him! _Mello tried to jerk his wrists back a few times, but failed.

"Tug of war?" Vince lightly questioned, only infuriating Mello that much more. Mello shot the man a deathly glower, and he tried to break free again. When he did, Vince simply allowed for his grip to loosen, causing Mello to lose his balance. Mello stumbled back and fell straight onto his left hip, supporting himself on his propped elbow. Now the blond felt more than aggravation. _He's trying to humiliate me, make me lose my edge!_

"Aw, did that hurt, Mihael?" Vince asked him, looking down with half sympathetic eyes.

Mello's entire core burned, now. His body began to tense, as well as shake, and his icy orbs narrowed heatedly. "You _bastard_!" Mello piercingly spat at the older man, as he jumped back to his feet again. His fists curled and irately shook.

Vince chuckled to himself. "So he speaks! And with such language! Mihael, what would your parents think?"

That did it. That undeniably did it. He went _that_ far. Mello darted towards Vince, screeching fiercely, and threw back a gloved fist to brutally land into Vince's face. This attempt failed, as well as his other efforts, for Vince caught that fist again. Instead of just holding the boy there this time, Vince hastily spun him around—one hand still clasping around Mello's right fist—and forced him back down onto the ground. Mello landed directly on top of his left arm, and his right arm was fastened back painfully and securely again. Vince had him pinned down onto the floor. It had happened so quickly, he couldn't even register it at first. Mello growled in frustration. _I hate him, I _hate _him!_

Vince was kneeling over the boy, one hand still holding back Mello's arm while his other hand now rested—palm down—on the floor, above Mello's left shoulder. He bent down, just looking at the angry, exhaling teenager. Mello's head was resting sideways on the floor, with only his left-side profile showing. Vince couldn't see the upper half of the boy's face, for it was covered by tasseled blond hair. Vince lifted his hand off of the floor and brought it over towards Mello's face, to brush his hair away.

Mello felt the man's fingertips beginning to skim through the hair around his face, and he immediately tried to pull away. "Don't _touch_ me!" he shouted detestably. "Let me go!"

Vince paid no heed to that and flicked away the hair that covered the boy's eyes. Now that Vince could observe Mello's entire profile, he could see how much more fiery his expression actually was. His lips were partly open and short, fuming puffs of breath respired through them. His eye that was visible was hateful; oh, how hatefully it blazed… like a hot, cobalt flame.

"Mihael-"

"_Don't_ call me that!" the blond interrupted, his tone livid. "You have no right!"

"I have no right to call you by your name?" Vince lightly questioned him.

"No!" Mello harshly retorted. "My parents gave me that name, and, because of _you_, I had to have it taken away! My own brothers can't even call me by my name!"

Vince lowered his face down towards Mello's. "Why is that?"

"N-None of your damn _business_!" Mello shot back, trying to loosen Vince's grip on his right arm. This action only caused for Vince to twist his arm a little more awkwardly, instantly freezing Mello's movement. It hurt him to even lift his head now, so Mello gave up on trying to break out of the vice grip. He laid his head back down onto the cold floor.

"Is that so?" Vince asked him, his tone still gentle. "So you go by 'Mello', for some reason… Whatever your reason is for having to give up your name is really no concern of mine. I call you Mihael because your name came from Angela."

"Stop… s-saying… her name!" Mello grunted in discomfort. He glanced upwards, to look at Vince. "Y-You're the definition of a t-total, obsessive psychopath! You killed her, and you're talking about her as if she was your _lover_!" he snarled crossly. "Y-You sicken me. I _hate_ you, and I-_ah!"_

Vince twisted Mello's arm as far back as it would go, to the point of snapping, now. Mello's body reacted to this stinging pain with a full vibration of alerting nerves. His eyes squeezed shut and warm pressure began to build behind his eyes. It hurt. It just hurt! He could then hear Vince sigh.

"So much anger for a boy so young," Vince pondered aloud. "It's so sad to see." On the inside, however, Vince was reveling in personal delight. _Oh, he's so angry and bitter; what a magnificent turnout!_ Even though he did want to calm the boy down, he truly loved seeing him so emotional. As long as this was evident, at least within the boy's eyes, Vince knew he had him under full command. He had already made Mihael feel uncomfortable fear, as well as intense anger and hatred… perhaps he could make him feel secure, for a moment in time.

_Of course I'm angry, you psycho! _Mello refused to open his eyes. He couldn't care less about how much anger he was demonstrating through his expression; he just hoped Vince's hold would loosen, soon. _You took innocent lives away, and you're treating me like _I'm _the one with the problem!_

"Honestly," Vince spoke again, a sigh laced into his accented speech, "All I want to do is talk to you."

Mello did open his eyes, now. He was still angry, but obviously confused. _What…_Why_? I came here to kill him, not talk!_

"I thought I would tell you what I thought of your mother-"

Mello's eyes widened into a ferocious glare, as a deep growl tore from within his throat.

"Aren't you even curious?"

In all honesty, Mello was a little curious, but he certainly didn't want to know what the relationship between Vince and his mother had been… if there _had_ been one. He could never picture his good mother being in any sort of relationship with this guy! He always remembered what his father had said that night about Vince 'lusting' over her… He had to have been stalking her at some point in the past, now that Mello thought about it. He wondered when it all could have started, but, right now, Mello felt that he would go berserk from listening to anything Vince spoke of her.

"If you settle down, I'll let you go," Vince coaxed, moving a little closer down towards the teenager's face. "I won't try anything. I just want to talk."

Mello turned his visible pupil up towards Vince and muttered a very strained, "No."

Vince sighed evenly, and Mello felt the man's warm breath hit his face. He shivered uneasily. _I hate being in this lousy position! I'm incapable of doing anything! Still, he's gotta let me go, at some point. If I find one weak spot, I'll go _all_ out on him._

"Well, since you don't really have a say, in the matter," Vince airily said, lifting his head away from Mello's, "I can just speak to you, like this… or, you know, you could be more rational and listen properly."

Mello cursed various obscenities towards the dark-eyed man, within his thoughts. I'm_ the one who needs to be more 'rational'? And, seriously, how many more times is this guy going to switch personalities? I don't know how to read him! Is he just fooling around to throw me off, or is it a mental disorder?_

"If not, you can just listen to me uncomfortably," Vince offered his second choice, to him. "You don't have to lie here, like this. It _is _possible to speak with one another civilly."

_Like I would ever want to cooperate with a crazy, homicidal, mentally insane… hm. _Mello began calculating an idea that would hopefully get him what he wanted—Vince's death. _It's so simple! If I abide by what he suggests, then I can find a way to overcome him. I just need to study him frontally and find his Achilles Heel. He has to have at least one weak spot, despite his skills. I'll just play along with how he's acting, for now, and see what happens from there._

"So, will you comply?" Vince asked Mello once more.

Mello paused, trying to calm the murderous desires within him. _No matter how much I hate him and want to kill him, I have to play along. No matter what he says, I can't react. _Mello then allowed one, tensed nod of his head.

Vince consented to the simple movement by releasing his tight hold on Mello's arm. He then stood up and took a few steps back.

Mello breathed in liberated relief and fell onto his left side, his arm pulling itself free. He slowly sat up and began to massage his right shoulder. His upper arm was throbbing from it being in such a forced, painful position. _He was able to immobilize me so easily…_ _He's a lot stronger than he looks, so this will still be a problem. _

"Mihael?"

Mello narrowed his eyes and rotated his head around to look up at Vince. The man was holding out one, single hand for Mello to take, to help him stand up. His expression was that of consideration. Mello looked from the extended hand to the devil's face. He sharpened his glare, as he stared up into Vince's shady eyes.

Vince appeared to be somewhat thrown, but his expression changed quickly. "Ah, I see, you would prefer if I didn't call you by your name, is that correct?"

Mello didn't respond.

"Well, all right then," Vince said, still offering his hand to the blond. "I'll call you Mello, for now."

Without saying a word, Mello stood up without Vince's assistance. Even when he was standing on his feet, his mistrustful glare was still fixated on Vince's eyes. _Don't even think, for a minute, that you can possibly fool me. I _know_ your thoughts aren't wholesome._

"Here, you may sit over here with me, if you like," Vince referred to the slightly worn couch, towards the center of the room. He began to walk towards it. "Come, follow me unless you wish to stand."

Mello hesitated for a brief second, before following the older man. _I can't believe I'm about to sit down '_civilly_' with the man who murdered my parents and Shawn._

When they both got to the couch, Vince sat on one end, while Mello cautiously sat on the other. He obviously wasn't comfortable with sharing a couch with this man and made sure to sit as far away as he could.

"Well, now," Vince began clearly, "is there anything you would like to know?"

Again, Mello fought the urge to leap at Vince, but held himself steady. "Why?" was what he bluntly asked, keeping his gaze forward on the opposite wall.

"Hm?" Vince mumbled in response.

"You should know what I mean," Mello coldly retorted. "Why kill them? I know about your 'feelings' towards my mother," his voice tensed at saying those words, "that much is obvious… but why end them like that? What did you have to gain in killing her, if you wanted her so much? Also…" he finally made eye contact with his enemy, "_Why_ would you resort to killing a little boy? Was it all just to get to me?" Disgust was fully weaved throughout his words.

Vince suppressed the smirk that wanted to creep into his features. _Oh, he's such an innocent._

* * *

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, the power was finally back on throughout the L.A. apartment.

"That took long enough," Matt grumbled, to himself and Near. "There's no telling what Mello's doing right now!"

Near nodded once and watched L hastily begin to start up the room's computer. After it loaded for a few seconds, and was running properly again, the quick clicking of the great detective's typing was echoing inside the room. Adem watched him over his shoulder, wondering what he was doing.

"Got him," L stated, after only seconds had passed.

"What?" Matt questioned, as he and Near rose up from the floor. "Y-You found him? Already?"

"Yes, look, the both of you," L told them.

Both boys were over there in a heartbeat. There, on L's main monitor, was an illustration of the entire map of Los Angeles. On the lower part of the map, was one, blinking, blue dot.

"L… is that dot Mello?" Matt asked in awe.

"Yes, it is," L answered. "From what this diagram is portraying, Mello is on the south side of Glendale…" he closed farther in on the exact, pin-pointed, location, "at an inoperative warehouse? The dot isn't moving… so is that where he planned on going?" _That's peculiar._

Adem began to feel nervous. Since L had signaled in on the accurate location of where Vince was, his monster of a boss could possibly be caught… and he knew he couldn't allow for that to happen. Not for his son's sake.

"How did you install a homing device on Mello?" Matt asked the man another wonder-stricken question.

"I actually have tracking devices on all of you," the black haired detective admitted. "I have one inside of Mello's motorcycle, as well as one inside of you car's engine, Matt. There is one programmed inside of all of your cell phones, and I even took the liberty of having some of them sown into a few articles of clothing the three of you wear."

_He's… certainly very thorough, _Adem thought, with slightly raised brows. _No, more like protective. I don't blame him; they're his sons. _

Matt's jaw dropped a little, as he looked over at Near. One of the younger boy's eyebrows was raised. Both were impressed, as well as intrigued to know how L had done all of that without any of them knowing. No wonder L was always so persistent about them keeping their phones nearby… They both dismissed wondering on how L had done any of that. They were both just glad to know were Mello was, now.

"Are we going to go over there and get him, now?" Matt urgently asked his father. "We don't know what's going on over there!"

"Yes, we're going to prepare for that, immediately," L responded, as he fully turned around. "I will-"

Mr. Esteban and Mr. Henderson suddenly walked in.

"Sorry it took so long," Henderson told L. "Every single power link and wire, for anything that requires direct electricity in this apartment, was all crossed."

"Crossed?" L asked repeatedly. "How so?"

Esteban answered this time. "In all basic terms, everything was jointed together, designed to operate at any time. The work was clean, well-completed… just impressive, really."

"… Dad," Near addressed the detective, in his discreet method, "you had an electrician inspect and improve this apartment's power supply, not long after we moved in here. Do you think it's possible that whoever that electrician was had sabotaged us?"

L paused momentarily, before nodding once. "It's very likely… but, if this is Vince's doing, than that means he has known where we have been this entire time. How is not important right now, but it's concerning that he could have gotten someone to do his own dirty work… None of this is important." He looked at both Esteban and Henderson. "I have tracked down Mello's exact location."

"Already?" Henderson asked. "Where?"

"Yes," L replied, "He is on the south side of Glendale, inside of an unused warehouse. I want for you and Mr. Esteban to get back-up from the police and meet me and Mr. Caden there. I have reason to believe that where Mello is, Vince is with him."

"Of course," Mr. Henderson complied. "Show us the exact location, and we'll do it."

"Wait, what about us?" Matt inquired, "Near and I need to go, too!"

L turned his head to the brunette. "As much as I don't like the idea of bringing the both of you along, it would be best if I did. Who's to say that someone isn't watching this apartment right now, as we speak? I'm not leaving you both behind. You and Near will come along with me and Mr. Caden."

"I'm not concerned over my safety," Matt flat out told the detective. "All I want is to see that Mello is fine, for my own eyes. I know Near feels the same way."

Near didn't respond, but his eyes slightly tensed. From even such a small movement of his eyes, L could see that Near was worried. His whole aura was of apprehension.

L only allowed a short nod of his head towards his sons and turned back to all three of the guards. "I'll get the GPS trackers set, and then we will leave immediately."

* * *

Mello couldn't believe this guy. Everything that Vince had been telling him about his parents—his mother, especially—enraged him further and further into wanting to dive in the man's direction and rip his head off! This man had briefly, yet in detail, described of what he had felt when he first saw his mother. He had even defended his 'right' in watching her, even though Mello had not responded to a word he had said yet, and expressed his unhappiness of having to kill her, though his 'discontent' of killing Mello's father was obviously false; he had smirked all the while, as he momentarily told of his "utter regret of killing such a good man"… He had frontally disrespected him and his deceased father! It truly was a wonder that Mello hadn't tried to kill him again. As for explaining why he let Mello live at all, Vince only said that he hadn't wanted to kill Angela twice, even though Mello was of 'mixed' blood.

Then, after all of this, Vince changed the topic to Shawn's demise. "You asked, before, if it was all just a way for me to get to you, in regard of the boy's death…"

Mello still remained silent, as he had been, while listening to all of the detestable things that Vince had to say. His reactions were what truly amused Vince. The boy had been trying to keep himself composed the entire time Vince was talking to him. His eyes twitched and narrowed constantly, his body language was completely edged, and he had not once removed his homicidal gaze from Vince's eyes. The man was purposely trying to push his buttons. Anything that stemmed a negative response from Mello only fortified Vince's power over him.

"Well, Mello," Vince continued, his self-confident grin widening, "you are right, in saying that. However, the main reason I killed that boy was for my own satisfaction."

Mello's already rigid breathing pattern stiffened even more. His back's shoulders hunched a bit more, like an aggravated cat's, and his eyes gleamed with more aversion.

Vince delighted in this reaction and carried on. "Before our lucky encounter beside that beach, I saw you and that boy together. I didn't know what he was to you, until the next day… Heh, heh, so he was a 'friend'," he chuckled darkly. "It's so ironic how his friend was the one that brought upon his untimely death-"

"Shut _**up**_!" Mello suddenly shouted, bolting to his feet. "You're sick, _really_ sick! How _dare_ you-"

"How dare I 'what', Mello?" Vince interrupted, also standing to his feet. "How dare I not tell the truth?"

Mello's body tensed. Vince noticed.

"Ah, still feeling guilty, are we?" Vince began a slow walk towards him. "Well, I wouldn't be so hard on myself, if I were you. After all, it was _me _who ultimately killed him." He was now a foot's distance away from Mello and directly looked down into the boy's sharp, blue eyes. "I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time. To think, if I hadn't recognized you, I would have walked right on by."

Mello wanted, so badly, to throw another punch at this man's face. He restrained himself from doing that for two reasons, however. One, Vince would probably catch his wrist again. Two, he was sure that would only excite Vince, in seeing him react in violence again. Instead, he opted for the loathing glare that was still outlining his eyes.

Vince tilted his head ever so slightly, as his eyes and closed lips continued to show his clear amusement. _I suppose it's time for me to show him my trophies I obtained all those years ago… He will be angry all over again and if seeing them reduces him to tears… heh, heh._

"My dear boy," Vince spoke again, now speaking in a respectful manner, "I have something over there, for you."

Mello's glaring eyes hardened in wonder of what Vince was going to do, now. He watched as Vince walked away from him and towards the north side wall of the room. Vince picked up a dark-colored, refined looking box, which had sat on top of a wooden crate, and looked back over towards Mello.

"Come over and see," Vince told him, a kind smile on his face.

_So he's switched to 'nice' again, has he… _Mello had no idea of what Vince was about to pull now, especially because of that artificially pleasant tone Vince was, once again, using. Whatever it was, Mello knew it couldn't be good, as well as everything else Vince had been doing and saying, this whole time. Without really having another choice, Mello took the first step forward.

* * *

"Is he still at the warehouse, L?" Matt asked.

"Yes," the detective replied, looking straight into his son's tracking signal. "He hasn't moved at all." _I'm still very sure that Vince is with him… No, he has to be with him. I don't know how, but we will have time for answered questions later._

The four—L, Adem, Near, and Matt—were all inside of 'Mr. Caden's' car and headed directly towards Mello's whereabouts. Mr. Esteban and Mr. Henderson would meet with them shortly, after collecting the help of the Santa Monica chiefs for back-up.

_This time_, L thought, _we will have our criminal._

As Adem drove the car, he stole a quick glimpse of L in the passenger seat. He was composed, as he had revealed himself to naturally be, but his wide eyes were exposing his desperate urgency. It was if he was internally demanding the car to move more quickly than it already was… Since the detective's eyes only watched the road and GPS tracker, Adem took the opportunity to take one hand off of the wheel and slip it into his left-side pocket. He pressed one, simple button on his cell phone, to alert Vince of their oncoming approach. He didn't want to help Vince, but he knew that if he were to let his boss get caught, he would never see his son. Vince knew where he was, not Adem… and he was sure Vince had a way for someone else to kill his son, even if he was to be caught. Vince never forgot to be true to his swears or threats. _From one father to another, I would never want to put someone else's son in danger, like I have tonight… I'm sorry, L… I'm so sorry._

Matt and Near, who sat behind the two, older men, sat closely together and kept their eyes directly on the frontal view of the road. Matt looked away once at Near, only to see a deeper sense of nervousness within his eyes. Matt glanced back to the road and silently placed his right hand on Near's knee.

Near turned his eyes from the road, to Matt's profile, and then back to the road again. Matt was just trying to settle his nerves, he supposed… but it couldn't change his fear of the possibility that Mello's life could very well be in jeopardy, right now._ Mello… what are you doing?_

* * *

**And then I cut it off. I will leave this hanging in the air until another time.**

**For the bit of foreign language I have in here, I have tried to translate it properly. It should be correct, but, if there are any Slovene-speaking people reading this, please let me know if something is off.**

**"Ti si tako lepa" - You are so beautiful (Creepy how it was used, right?)**

**Can you see why I've called this chapter "Raw"? It is all raw emotion from Mello. He is displaying all of his inner anger, all of his pent-up hatred, and lashing out at the man who caused it. He isn't holding back, though his actions aren't helping him. He is so full of hate that he cannot focus, in the beginning. Vince is powerful enough already, so it only makes Mello angrier. How can he take out his target if he's so quick and strong? Even though Mello has a plan here, he's still unsure if he can put it to use. Now that he's endured some of Vince's treatment, discomforting and rough (Seriously, isn't it all sick? Especially in making Mello think that he was going to physically assault him; it takes a very scary mind, like Vince's, to find that amusing), Mello wonders what will happen now... Like finding out what is inside this special box Vince has for him. In the next chapter, you may know what it is...**

**On the flip-side, L and the boys are back on track. They have Mello's whereabouts and are on their way to get him, though Adem is worried about it. Of course he doesn't want to help Vince, but what can he do? His son's life is at stake, and he's afraid to chance anything. Could something possibly happen before they all get to the warehouse? Near, Matt, and L are already tense enough, so if something happened to Mello... It would tear them apart. Of course, that doesn't mean something _will _indeed happen... You will find out soon enough. **

**Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you will like what I have in store next time. Heh, the next chapter is also a whirlwind of events... **


	17. Unreal

**I wanted to have this up a _lot _sooner, but I keep getting myself held up with other things (like school)... but, now that I finally have this chapter posted, I hope the wait didn't disappoint. This chapter was one of my more complicated ones; especially with the emotions I wanted to portray in the characters (all of the boys, but Near in particular; remember that characters, no matter what, will change based on certain events they go through). The overall portrayal of this chapter is emotionally intense, so I really hope this comes across like I intended it to. What happens here may be a bit unexpected and dramatic, I think... and that's why I've been concerned about its presentation. There is a certain detail I've added that is rather... memorable, as well (meaning, everyone who has read or watched "Death Note" thoroughly will understand and probably shake their heads at it; it's awful for the character and even worse, in this story). I truly just want for all of these scenes I've written to leave some sort of impact, in the given situations.**

**The previous chapter was mainly about Mello's 'raw' feelings towards Vince. In this chapter, it continues in a way that is simply 'unreal'. Everything in this chapter is viewed as unreal to everyone, except through Vince's perspective. He will present the box to Mello in this chapter, and you will see what goes on from there. I _really _hope the way I've conveyed all of this feels realistic and remains to keep you readers interested in the plot I've created.**

**On another note, as I always do, I still thank everyone who continues to follow this story. I'm always appreciative for the kind support and feedback I receive. I'll always try my best!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters. **

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Unreal **

* * *

"Here, open it," Vince told Mello, as he held out the darkly colored, wooden box towards him.

Mello silently stood in front of crazy man, skeptically staring at the closed lid of the box. _There's no telling what's in there. It could either be something non-threatening to me or something that will actually harm me._

"Open it," Vince encouraged him again. That irregular, overly sweet grin was still decorating his face.

Mello stiffly looked up at that terrible face, and then back down at the box Vince held in front of him. He released a small huff of breath, as he hesitantly raised his hand up towards the box.

"It won't bite, I promise," Vince airily spoke, irritating Mello even more.

_I hope there's something in there I can attack him with!_ Mello placed his gloved, right hand on the box's lid, his fingers tracing its surface down to the snap lock that hid away its secret. He hesitated once more before flipping the simple lock open. His hand slowly bent back the box's cover… and he froze, internally and externally, at what lay inside.

_Those are… I can't believe it…_What Mello saw were two familiarly garlanded rosaries. One of the crosses was slightly larger than the other and fashioned completely out of silver. The smaller cross was of gold, with one, single pearl resting at its solidly laced, intersecting lines. _These… they belonged to my parents! _

After his parents had been murdered, by this putrid man who stood before him, his home's items were collected to either be put up for auction or given to charities. There was no other family member—on either side—that could inherit them or take Mello in. Mello was given certain mementos of his parents (a family picture, along with other things) but he never got the beautiful rosaries his parents wore to mass every Sunday. Those were the keepsakes of his parents that he truly found invaluable. Mello himself had sadly believed that both ornaments were taken and auctioned off… but now that he was seeing them again, for the first time in ten years…

Mello removed his shaking hand from the box and placed it onto his now lowered head, as warmth began to build behind his eyes. _Vince… _Fiery hatred enveloped his heart and soul. _He had them all this time! _His nerves and tendons shook ferociously, as his eyes clasped shut. The hand that hung by his side was clenched into a tight, violently trembling fist. _He _stole_ them! _Mello's entire core was like an active volcano, just ready to explode. His eyes flew open, and he looked back up at Vince's face. A truly demonic face greeted him, for Vince's good-natured smile had transformed into a heartless, closed-mouthed grin. His naturally black irises seemed to become even darker, as they cruelly bore into Mello's eyes.

Vince's entire body began to vibrate, from his restricted chuckles that wanted to break out of his vocal chords. The glee from Mello's vicious reaction, as he continued to lock eyes with him, became more and more fulfilling to gaze upon… Oh, and now the boy's eyes were spilling over with another emotional reaction that he had wanted to see! His laughter was escaping now, in small chortles. Before he knew it, the sound grew. Vince could no longer hold it in, as his eyes widened and his grinning laughter erupted from his throat. _Amazing, just amazing!_

Mello, whose flickering orbs of ice still bore into the madman's insane expression, internally shuddered at the sheer wickedness of Vince's recoiling laughter. It sounded distorted, unholy… The man's entire face was warped into an unnaturally impious expression, as he continued on with his insane laughter.

_Damn him! _Mello's shaking fist uncurled and quickly reached inside the box. He pulled out both of the rosaries in one, swift swipe and held them protectively against his chest. When he did, Vince's laughing began to settle out, and he spoke.

"Y-Your tears," Vince began, lively chuckles still encasing his tone, "are pleasing to my eyes!"

Mello's eyes widened at what he heard. _W-What? _He reached his free, left hand up to his face and touched the area underneath his left eye. He pulled that hand away, in front of his gaze, and saw the watery marks shining on his leather-covered fingertips. His eyes rounded out even more, as he heard Vince's laughter begin to start up again. _I didn't even notice… I just showed him everything he wanted to see: my pain, anger, tears… He planned for this whole, idiotic scene to play out this entire time!_ Mello's eyes traveled from his gloved hand to the still uncontrollably laughing man before him. His wide stare changed back into the form of a loathing glare, once more.

"Shut up," Mello's shaking voice quietly spoke against Vince's strident laughter. "Enough… _enough_…" His burning fury shook him as inwardly as it was showing outwardly. _Stop it… Stop laughing… _He held his parents' rosaries tightly against his chest, and his teeth began to bare themselves. He could barely stand it anymore! "_**Nehaj**__!_"*

Vince heard the ringing sound of Mello's shouted demand echo throughout the room and temporarily overshadow his merry laughter. He steadily, and slowly, quieted down and looked back into the boy's reddened, raging face. His grin remained plastered on his lips, as his thumping chest settled. "Heh, heh, still angry, my pet?"

Mello's eyes flared up even more at that comment. "I've had enough of your games, Vince!" he yelled out to the man. "What was the reason for bringing me out here, if you were only going to make fun of me? What do you _want_ from me?"

Vince scoffed in amusement. "Want? I don't want anything from you, really…"

Mello wordlessly listened to him, still panting puffs of hot, angry breath out of his lungs. _What then, Vince, what then? What was the point?_

Vince's grin intensified in width. "I wanted to see Angela."

Mello's stomach lurched, and his seething anger simmered down. The feeling was immediately replaced with unease.

"In you, Mihael Keehl, I can see her," Vince continued on, as he closed in the short space between them. "I can see her physical beauty in you… However, you have Dragan's blood in your veins, as well…"

Mello securely clenched the rosaries that he still held firmly pressed against his chest. He held his breath as Vince fluidly raised a hand up to the top of his head. In silent concentration, Vince ran that hand down and through the straight, golden hair. "If only there was a way to separate Angela's blood from Dragan's, in you," he murmured to himself.

Mello jerked away. "You said I was of 'mixed' blood earlier. What was it about my father you hated so much? Was it more than the fact that he had married the woman you wanted?"

"No, that was the only reason," Vince bluntly put it. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Mello could feel his teeth grinding behind his closed, pursed lips. His father was hated and killed for only marrying a woman this lunatic personally claimed… _How could he?_

"That remark about your mixed blood was not just some insult," the ill man went on, "You were born of two people on completely different sides of the human spectrum. You have Angela's blood, which means I love you."

The color in Mello's face drained. His raged expression lessened into faint, ailing panic, as Vince's eyes bore so closely into his own.

"However, you also have Dragan's blood." Vince's eyes became more serious, as well as his tone. "That means I hate you, as well."

Mello's head dropped slightly, but he continued to keep his sickened gaze locked with Vince's. He couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"My love for you is not like it was for Angela, and my hatred of Dragan is not identical to the hate I feel for you. You should have noticed, by now, that I treat you differently from one moment to the next, correct?"

Mello felt goose bumps chill his skin. He did not respond or move. _So he_ _was_ _doing all of that on purpose, afterall…_

"I treat you with adoration and ridicule, all at once," Vince told him, smiling slightly. "I didn't just bring you here so that I could see Angela… I did it to see Dragan, as well. To embrace one side of you, and deride the other-"

"Stop."

"Hm?" Vince hummed lightly.

"I… s-said… stop." Mello took a step back, his heart quivering with buzzing emotions. His hate was still there, but all of his anger had, for the meantime, drained out of him completely. All he felt now was confusion and repulsion. His stomach swirled with terrible nausea. _He's… He's sicker than I thought._

Seeing the boy's vulnerability, revealed for a second time, made Vince grin with delight all over again. _I've wasted enough time. Adem sent me his warning, not too long ago. _In Vince's side pocket was his cell phone. On it, he had installed a simple method of a warning signal, just in case anything unexpected was to occur. If his cell phone vibrated three times, it meant he had fifteen minutes to make any kind of getaway. If two times, then ten minutes, if but once, five minutes. It had vibrated twice before, and Vince had spent some of those minutes to tell Mihael of what he truly thought of him. _I was so hoping to spend more time with you, Mihael, but we will have to meet another day. There's no point in even asking for you to come with me… It's time for this meeting to end with a bang. _"Fine," Vince said, "I will stop… but, let's see if you can pass one, simple experiment for me."

_Experiment?_ "W-What are you talking about, now?" Mello asked, slightly raising his head. _What's he gonna do, now?_

"Oh, it's simple," Vince said, as he took a few steps back and reached up into his shirt's front pocket. "I want to see how durable and skilled you are."

Mello's eyes widened at what Vince pulled out of his pocket. It was a small, vertically thin, black device that Vince held in his curled up hand. His thumb lightly rested on top of it. _Could that actually be a… No… Is he really _that_ insane?_

* * *

"We're almost there," L proclaimed, as the car narrowed towards the turn that would take them to the warehouse. "Mello hasn't moved at all."

"Good!" Matt eagerly said aloud. _We're almost there, Mels._

The curve came up quickly, and Adem immediately turned into it. _Vince, I don't know how you're planning to escape, but you better do it…Unless you already have._

"Speed up the car," Near suddenly told Adem, his tone dripping in urgency. _I don't like this feeling I'm getting. Something's happening to Mello; I just know it!_

Matt and L began to worry from Near's tone alone and encouraged Adem to speed down the winding, forested road to the warehouse.

Adem did as he was told and accelerated the car's engine. _Vince, I hope you're out of there. You don't have any more time!_

* * *

"Do you know what this is?" Vince asked the boy, smiling still. "I'm sure you do. This one, tiny, little button will activate the multiple explosives that are lining this building and blow it apart. Isn't technology amazing?"

Mello struggled for words as he tried to get his legs to move. "W…Why?" He had no idea why Vince had so unexpectedly decided to do something like this. Why would he do something this crazy, why now? Where was the sense in this? _What's the point?_

"I believe I told you a second ago: to see how durable and skilled you are," Vince reminded him. "Don't worry, I know you'll live… and the next time we meet," Vince held up the detonator and smirked fully at the nearly frozen boy, "I'll make you mine."

Mello's blood cooled. _What…What does he mean by that?_ His eyes widened, as he heard the bone chilling, yet simple sound of the bomb's button click. His hand tightly held onto the rosaries, as if they were his very lifeline. He knew there was nothing he could have done to prevent what followed…

* * *

The car was now more than half of the way to the warehouse. Just before the four people began to see the old building come into view from the separating distance, the area ahead abruptly ruptured into a thick, orange inferno of flames. The ground beneath them momentarily shook.

Adem's eyes completely rounded out from the sight. _No… He… Vince…_Why_? _He sped up the car once more.

L blankly stared ahead, trying to convince his mind that what he had just seen was real. His son… _His son_ was caught up in that hellish blaze! How… _Why_ was this happening?

"_No_!" he heard Matt cry out. "Mello!"

Near leaped forward in his seat and grabbed the tracker out of L's unmoving hands. With wide eyes, he saw that the blue dot, which represented Mello, had disappeared. "No… he can't be…"

Matt quickly looked at the now empty tracker screen, as well. _No, no, no, no, this isn't happening!_

Adem screeched the vehicle to a jolted halt, not far from the destroyed warehouse. Immense grey and brown clouds of smog covered the area, as well as flaming pieces of the building's blown up segments of walls and roof covering. The rusted fence that surrounded the place was mostly blown apart and smoldering. Some of the trees, which had not been far from the warehouse, caught fire from the explosion. The place looked like the result of an intense, raging battle.

"Mello!" Matt yelled again, as he and Near swung open their car doors. They both bolted out of them, nearly tripping, and ran straight for the fiery haze ahead. They weren't going to wait; Mello was in there!

"Boys!" L screamed out. He thrust his car side's passenger door open, too. "Boys, no, wait! _Stop_!"

Matt and Near did not turn around to L's call and disappeared within the polluted mist together. Matt instinctively gripped Near's wrist as they ran together.

"Mello!" the two called out, stopping briefly to peer through the smoke. They kept moving in their search and continued to cry out their eldest brother's name. Both boys coughed as they charged through the broad layer of discolored fog. Their eyes watered from the particles of rust and dirt floating inside of the air.

_Mello, please… _Near rubbed his watering eyes and squinted through the mist. His heart pounded from sheer panic, the more he saw only blurred fire and mist. _Please, God, where _is_ he?_ He kept looking alongside Matt, desperately praying and pleading that they wouldn't find Mello in pieces.

The two continued their frantic sprint though the murky area, before Near's eye caught something on the ground not too far away from where he and Matt now stood. He rubbed his watering eyes again, as he strained his vision to see through the thinning area… Yellow. He saw a spot of the color yellow. His brother's hair was that color. _Mello! _Near immediately began to pull Matt in that direction.

_He sees Mello!_ Matt assumed, as he squinted in the direction Near was dragging him towards. When he saw that same spot of yellow, his pace quickened along with Near's. The closer they got, the more they could see the outline of their brother's fallen body.

"Mello!" they both shouted upon reaching him. Mello was lying flat on his stomach, his arms spread up on either side his head, and the lower half of his body was enclosed with parts of the warehouse's blown apart construction. The right side of his face rested against the ground, while the left side was hidden by his disheveled hair. They both wondered if he was still alive.

Near fell to his knees, directly above Mello's head. "Matt, we've got to pull him out!"

Matt didn't hesitate. He quickly knelt to the ground and began to claw out whatever rubble was trapping Mello from the waist down.

While Matt did that, Near bent closer down towards Mello's head and examined him through squinted eyes. Mello's leather vest was in tatters, mainly on the left side of his body, along with a nearly smoldered left-handed, leather glove. Fresh burn marks blotched much of his viewable skin. The marks seemed to be steaming and were bleeding. The sight of it caused Near's stomach to drop in sickness.

His eyes then traveled back to Mello's head. He could only see part of the back of Mello's neck, and it too revealed a painful looking scorch mark. _Is his… face burned, too?_ Near felt his throat burn with a rough dryness, as he absent-mindedly stared at Mello's motionless body. Near didn't realize that his hands had begun to tremble.

"Near!"

Near looked up at Matt. His hands were holding up a large, plane, heavy-looking piece of the debris. "Pull him out; I can't hold this thing up for long!"

Near immediately followed that order. He leaned even closer down to the ground, maneuvered his arms directly underneath Mello's arms, and grabbed the limp limbs as carefully and hastily as he could. He pulled Mello out by his upper arms for a section of the way, and then took him around his torso. Near then instinctively pulled his brother's slumped form up into his chest and lap, yearning to feel or hear Mello's breath and heartbeat against his body. He secured one arm around Mello's back, while the other supported his waist, and rested his head against blond, tousled hair as his hands gently cradled around the lifeless form. His hands felt the hot, bleeding scars on Mello's skin. Aghast in horror, Near's head ached with racing, solid, inner pounds of fearing emotion.

In such a short amount of time this had happened, and in a witnessed spark of flames… Mello wasn't really dead, was he? His body was in terrible condition, but was it really so severe? It was true that if enough of the body's percentage of skin was burned, death from dehydration was a very true likelihood. This throttling air surely wasn't aiding Mello's lungs, either, but… This was Mello! He had to live through this! Still, even though Near was holding onto Mello, he couldn't feel or hear him breathing. Mello's body had not reacted at all from Near touching his burned skin, and no pulse could be sensed… _Why, Mello, why?_ His eyes closed and stubbornly stung with sudden tears. His arms clung even more strongly around his brother's unconscious body, frayed bits of clothing and all. _Why did this have to happen to you? …Why didn't you keep it?_

Matt released his hold on the broken construction, allowing it to hit and crumble onto the ground, and quickly went to Near's side. He knelt to the ground and looked over the burn marks that had manifested into Mello's body. He shook his head in blank disbelief, as his eyes traveled from Mello's partially bleeding, scared leg, to his thigh, backside, arm, neckline… Mello's hair blocked the rest of Matt's view. Matt began to feel sick, thinking that the explosion's fire might have touched Mello's face. _I can't believe this… and Near… _Matt had never seen Near look so terrified; he almost looked unstable._ He's shaking all over… _The brunette looked down at his own hands, seeing that they were shaking, too _… so am I. _Near's head rose from Mello's hair, and Matt saw that his younger brother's face held the most saddening, dismayed expression. He looked like he was about to cry. _Oh, God, is he…?_ His eyes widened in terror. At seeing this, Matt's mind forced him to believe that Mello was dead. Near looked utterly distraught; did he already confirm it? _No… _no_…_

Near lifted his left, vaguely bloodied hand up to Mello's face and hesitantly placed his fingertips on the blond hair hiding it. With a deeper frown and pricked heart, Near brushed back the fallen hair. There, on the left side of Mello's face, was a painful scorch mark—traveling from the side of his neck, up to his hairline—that still radiated in heat. At seeing this, Near tightly shut his eyes and shuddered. He could only imagine what the lick of a sweltering blaze felt like.

"What, what is it?" Matt frantically asked, as he closed in on Mello's face. "What's wro-…" he could now see Mello's scarred face, too. The seared flesh looked so painful, so awful… _How… _How _could this happen to Mello?_ He moved even more closely towards his brothers, not knowing what to say or do. He knelt closely to them, placing one arm around Near's back, and the other around Mello's shoulders. His head leaned against Near's as he tried to think of a solution to this. Mello's body was in really bad shape, and that's what made the whole outlook seem so much drearier, along with the suffocating atmosphere of dim, faded air.

"You promised," Matt heard Near's quiet voice speak. Matt looked down at Near's hunched over, tensed form. The younger boy's head was resting against Mello's. "You promised," he could hear him say again. It was more unsteady and emotional this time, and he could feel the shivering of Near's muscles. _Promised… _From the way Near was acting—in a way that he had never seen—Matt was truly assuming Mello was gone, though his mind still tried to fight the incoming message. It didn't look good at all for Mello, whose unmoving body was covered in burns and blood. _This can't be reality… It can't be. _ Matt closed his eyes, letting silent tears trickle down his face, as he listened to more of Near's dismayed murmurs.

"Y-You promised…" Emotions that Near had never felt before were uncontrollably thrashing about his heart, at an alarmingly fast rate. It scared him to feel that his body was subjecting itself to this kind of reaction, in mind and actions, because it further led him to the conflicting beliefs of whether Mello was still alive or not. Was he actually holding the corpse of his dear brother? The thought of that possibility caused for more tears to escape his burning eyes and fall onto Mello's scarred skin. "Y-You said you'd be here." Near wasn't even aware that he was mumbling such things, as his mind only felt numb consternation and shock. He couldn't handle these raw, terrified feelings. "Why…" his trembling voice broke, "_Why_ did you do this?" _We need you, Mello! Death can't claim you, now!_

"Boys!"

Matt slowly raised and turned his head around to see his father and Mr. Caden running straight towards them. He could hear multiple sirens sounding off in this surrounding of destruction.

"Boys!" L halted his hurrying steps when he reached Near and Matt. He stooped down to his knees and partially bent himself over Mello. His worried eyes widened into a fearful stare. Second and third degree burns, as well as blood, covered the left side of Mello's body. He placed one of his hands on the back of Mello's head, as he gazed into his son's now marred face. _Oh, Mello…_

Near had not yet raised his gaze to L or even acknowledged that he had come. L bent closer towards the pale boy's head. "Near…"

Near raised and turned his face to L. The detective silently shuddered at the tears that stained and slid down his ashen face. His youngest son's expression was of absolute sadness; he had _never_ seen Near look like this. L's wide eyes became more focused, feeling his stomach drop in sickened fear. _No… Have Near and Matt already discovered that…_ He glanced down at Near's clothing for a moment, seeing that Mello's blood had marked across the albino's soot-covered, white clothing. His eyes met Near's again, as well as Matt's, who had just now looked up. Both of them looked so grief-stricken… _No… God, no…_

Adem looked down on the sorrowful family from the side. His heart panged in terrible regret and sorrow for them. _This… This is all my fault. This never should've happened… _One tear fell from his eye. Seeing this hurt him so much, and he couldn't help but feel the need to blame himself. Vince was mainly at fault here, but he was apart of this whole outcome. _Why did Vince do this? Where did he go? I never expected anything, like this… L… _he looked from the fallen blond, and his brothers, to the greatest detective. If that boy was truly dead, then what would this small family do? He didn't know these people personally, but he knew that they, and Mello, all cared for one another. It was for the love of his family that Mello came out here… If they had really lost their son and brother… _L… I'm _so _truly_ _sorry. None of you deserved this… none of you._

Blurs of shaded men and women rushed past Adem and surrounded the family. He could hear them asking numerous, quick questions about Mello's condition. _Those paramedics will know, for sure… God, please don't let this boy be dead._

"Huh?" a female paramedic coherently mumbled, "What's this… Crosses?"

* * *

**Nehaj! - Stop it! (Slovenian)**


	18. Vision

**Finally, I have returned with another chapter! There is not much for me to say, because of how the previous chapter ended. There was so much drama and horror in the situation from every perspective, and none of it is very pretty to imagine in the least bit, but I will say that I do think the very last lines of the chapter indicate hope. Hope for Mello and what he is trying to live for and what he is trying to protect, mainly (you can even refer it to the hope of Mello's survival from L's, Near's, Matt's, and even Adem's perspectives). **

**This chapter is only in Mello'****s perspective and is told in a way that may be chilling to some. This chapter reflects on some personable situations that Mello may or may not be involved in... but it is a true vision of his that will imprint him thoroughly. I hope this will all make sense to you readers; I tried my best to convey what I wanted to be told.**

**Thank you all very much for still reading and commenting! Again, I have received some very positive statements about Vince's character. I'm truly very happy to see this positivity, because he is such a drastic, obsession-crazed, mentally disturbed character; I wanted to bring out those qualities realistically. I really do hope that you will all enjoy this story to the very end.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Death Note" or any of its characters.**

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**Chapter 17**

**Vision **

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_Where… am I?_

Mello's eyes opened up midway, seeing only the colors of copper and beige blurring into his vision. He blinked in confusion and saw that the antique color scheme was leisurely whirling around in front of him, in very clear wisps.

_What is this? How did I… get here? _He looked from one side to the other, realizing that his body was floating within a muted spiral of mystification. _Why… Why? _Mello began to feel a twinge of panic as he looked in every direction. This russet mist was suffocating to his very self. It didn't feel tranquil, despite its innocently aged appearance. He could feel himself struggling for breath as his frantic eyes scanned the shrouding mist.

_Get me out of here… Get me out!_ One of his arms swatted through the wisps. The coiling haze broke apart, but quickly repaired itself. Mello saw this and he began to calm down. He breathed out, hearing the barely perceptible sound echo around him. Mello hesitated and then attempted to feel the air with a mere, curious brush of his hand. He slowly waved his right hand through the copper clouds, watching the mist tumble around it. With every stroke of his hand, the vaporous smoke would restore itself in seconds. The mist did not feel cold, nor did it feel warm. His body temperature was neutral, but he, himself, felt nothing… _I… I don't like this. _Mello could hear his quiet breath shakily reverberate throughout the swirling fog. He could hear a buzzing ring envelope his ear cavities because the area was so still. His ear drums rattled from it. _I don't remember… How did I get here, to this?_

No sooner had Mello questioned that, a low, chilling laugh softly sounded. The familiar laughter quickly grew in pitch, as well as in tone. The low chuckles rapidly became loud, sinister, and of mockery—like an insane madman's laugh. Mello hesitantly looked in every direction as the laugh cultivated. It seemed to be approaching him. _I can't see anything but fog!_

"Mihael."

He froze at hearing his true name. _Wait… Him._

"Mihael," the settled, laughing voice soothed again. "Have you forgotten so soon?"

Mello's eyes widened, and he soon remembered everything. The memories flashed through his mind: sneaking out of the apartment, going to the warehouse, fighting Vince, listening to Vince speak, the rosaries, insane laughter, the explosion… the blaze… _Why did he do that? Where am I now, because of it? Did… Did he- _

The ridiculing laughter started up again, with even more intensity. Mello tossed his glaring eyes from one direction to the other, as he tried to move within the coppery vortex. He kicked his legs in and out and pushed his arms in a desperate attempt to get away from this surrounding. He couldn't tell if he was actually moving or not, for everything looked the same. He felt like he was moving in slow motion. There was nothing solid to be grasped or stood on; it was all air. His enemy's demented laughter continued to reverberate throughout the mist. No matter where Mello looked, he couldn't see him.

"Where _are_ you?" Mello's echoed yell traveled into the antique haze. "I have questions! Show yourself, Vince!"

He received no answer. The man's cackles faded away, back into nothingness. The bleak surrounding soon returned to its silent state.

Mello breathed through his clenched teeth. He wished that there was something solid for him to punch. _This can't be happening… I don't understand this…_

"What have you _done_?" Mello yelled out into the fog. _I can't really be… No, that wouldn't make sense. This has to be a nightmare; it has to be!_

"What has been done is not entirely your fault, dear child."

Mello stopped moving altogether, feeling a sense of fear build within him. The voice that had just spoken did not belong to Vince. This voice was… inhuman, unidentifiable. The voice didn't seem to be distinctly male or female—androgynous, it was. It wasn't distorted, condescending, or evil, but elegant and full of authority. _Who…_What_ is it?_

"Do not fear me. I am here to make a remark of your deeds."

_My… deeds?_ Mello settled down again, trusting the extraordinary voice.

"Your motives and actions were of both purity and retribution," the smooth voice said. "Your desire of fortification over the ones you love and hold dear was of nobility… but… your passionate longing of revenge has hurt the ones you love and hold dear, as well."

Mello was taken aback at hearing this. How were they hurt? In what way? "Hurt them… H-How?"

The powerful voice did not answer his question. "Mihael Keehl."

Mello tensed at hearing his name spoken by whatever being this was. _The voice gives off a feeling of goodness, not evil… This is not something evil, like Vince._ Mello could only think of this voice belonging to an angel, a true angel. What other voice could give off such a commanding, yet convivial, resonance?

"You cannot undue what has already been wrought."

Mello kept his gaze ahead of him, blankly staring into the auburn wisps. _Cannot undue_, his mind numbly repeated. _What's that mean?_ _What's happened to me… to L, Near, Matt…? What is it trying to tell me?_

"Please…" Mello tentatively spoke, "where are they? H-How do I find them?"

"… Look."

_Huh?_ Mello gasped lightly as the haze began to disappear before his eyes. The twirling, never-ending vortex of olden colors steadily disappeared. Mello could feel his feet touch a soft, yet solid grounding, as the last wisps of copper vanished. Soon enough, Mello could see that he was standing at the end of a dimly lit hall with various paintings adorning its sides. He took in the imagery of the beige-striped walls and richly dyed emerald carpet that were faintly lit by red candles. The aura of this place felt so… dark. Mello briefly shivered and then noticed a lavish looking room waiting on the hall's end. He hesitated before walking down the corridor. He didn't know what this place was, or what that being was trying to tell him by showing him this, but he felt that he should move forward. His body no longer felt numbed, like it had in the mist. _But…_ _why am I so nervous?_

Mello made it to the copiously decorated room's entrance. He looked from one side to the other, seeing that it was empty and quiet. As he advanced a little farther into the room, Mello couldn't help but stare at the garlanded interior. A long, wide rug of gold and burgundy stretched atop the emerald carpet. A closed off, clear-windowed space was built into the north side of the room. The entrance of another hallway was on its right. A great, beautifully crafted, cherry wood, grandfather clock stood against the right side wall, and a maroon-colored sofa rested beside it. A large watercolor of various flowers hung above that sofa. On the left side of the room, a curtain-drawn window resided. The emerald green drapes matched the flooring perfectly, complimenting the potted foliage throughout the room. On the floor beside the window was a mirror and decorative iron table, along with a maroon-cushioned chair. On the right side of the window was a grand, double door entrance. In between the doors and window hung a cross made of crimson wood and iron. Finally, a medium-sized, crystallized chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling. Its light was dimmed, creating a shady atmosphere for the room.

The final feature of the area that was noticed told Mello exactly where he was. A decipherable, wooden stand with a narrowly shaped light fixed on its pinnacle stood right beside the second hallway's entrance. Seeing this made his throat burn in anxiety, as well as tighten his heart's beating motions. _I'm… inside of a funeral parlor… _Mello had only ever been inside of a building like this twice in his life. The first time was for his parents' funeral, and the second time was for Shawn's… Remembering the image of the boy lying in his casket hurt Mello's heart all over again. What was the symbolism behind these images? Why was he being shown a place for grieving over the dead? _I don't understand. What's it trying to tell me?_

Mello took in a deep breath, calming himself down. Maybe that angel, or whatever it was, would show him soon. For now, he would investigate and observe his surroundings. Mello walked towards the clear windowed room, first. The see-through office revealed a wooden desk and an elderly man sitting behind it. _The funeral director, I'm sure…_

It was odd that Mello had just now realized this, but, since he could see the ornamented room's reflection in the glass, how come he couldn't see his own? He could not see his image in the glass. _That's weird… _Mello slightly tilted his head and raised his hand closer up to the window, almost afraid to touch it. Just as he was about to tap the glass, the weeping sound of a girl greeted his ears.

Mello turned his head to the second hallway, in the direction of the pitiful sobs, and froze. He couldn't believe his eyes, for the cry belonged to Misa Amane! She was here… and Light Yagami held her closely to his side, as they entered the furnished room. Mello watched, with a partially blank mind, as the pair—both dressed in black—sat down on the maroon couch.

Mello's muscles soon thawed, and he silently made his way over to them. He stood directly in front of them and wondered if they even knew he was there. _Wait. Am I like a ghost to them or something? Is this really a dream?_ He decided to speak up and see. "Light… Misa?"

Neither one answered him, just as he had expected. Misa only continued to cry into the balled-up tissues in her hand, while Light held her close. A look of sorrow overtook his eyes, as he soothingly rubbed the blonde girl's shoulders.

_What… is going _on_?_ Mello questioned himself. He kept second guessing himself on whether this was all actually a dream or not. It had the air of one, but it felt way too realistic. He could smell the sweet, floral perfume that radiated off of Misa, for instance. Still though, because of where he was and what he was seeing, Mello wondered, in morbid unease and curiosity, of whom exactly Misa was crying over. He also wondered why he was being shown these images if this all truly was a dream. What did this scenario have to do with him meeting Vince and being caught within an explosion… His eyes widened._ Wait a minute…_

"I-It's not fair," spoke Misa through her tears, "It's not fair."

_Hm?_ Mello's eyes narrowed in concentration, as his mind snapped back to his present stand.

"I know… I know," Light attempted to comfort her.

A sharp intake of air choked the young woman's sobs. "I just… can't believe it. He just can't be… It's not right!" Another intake of air stifled her words. "I-I feel so bad for them."

_Them? _Mello no longer felt nervousness but fear. _Who's she talking about?_

Light nodded vaguely, his eyes temporarily traveling up to the shining chandler. He looked back down at Misa and placed his other hand on her knee. "Me too… I've never seen Ryuzaki so distressed."

Mello's eyes rounded out, and he breathed in heavily through his nose at hearing his father's alias name. _L! He's here… _His heart skipped a beat when he heard what else Light had to say.

"And Matt and Near… They're barely holding up, too."

_Matt, Near…them, too. _Mello breathed out shakily. From what Light was saying, his father and brothers were upset about someone's death… _They're all here… but I'm not… _He realized that his knees were shaking, as well as his hands. The blond shook his head in disbelief, as he backed away from the couple and ran for the second hallway. _Please, _please_, tell me this isn't what I'm thinking it is!_

On both sides of the hallway there were two, widely open rooms. Mello ran to the center of the hall—in between the rooms—and looked inside the left one first. He saw nothing but dim lights, another large painting, a couch, and two chairs. He then turned his head to the room on the right. There, on this room's couch, was his hunched over father, Watari, and Touta Matsuda. Matsuda sat on L's left side, while Watari sat on his right. Mello stood there for a moment, watching the three sitting there in silence. Matsuda looked saddened, and so did Watari, but he couldn't even see L's face. He sat on the couch, feet resting on the ground, and his head was dropped into the palms of his hands.

"Dad…" he took a step forward. "_Dad_!" He ran up to him, forgetting that no one would be able to hear him. When Mello tried to grasp his father's shoulders, he was horrified to see his hands pass right through the man. He gasped, letting out a stunned scream, as he nearly lost his balance. _No…_He brushed his hand through L' hair, only receiving the same result. _No one can see me, hear me, or touch me… _Mello _really _didn't want to believe what he thought was going on. _T-This can't be real. There's no way I can actually be…_

Noticing that there was a widely open room connected to this one, on the left, Mello slowly and stiffly began to turn his head towards it. His eyes were shut tightly, eyelids flinching. He was so afraid to see what would lie in this room, though he already knew. Forcing himself to open his eyes, once his face was turned to the room, Mello immediately shut them again and shook. On the very end of the small room was an open casket. Mello didn't have to be informed of who was lying in that casket, for Near and Matt stood side by side, and alone, in front of it. Their backs were facing Mello.

_God, no… This isn't real, this can't be real! _He opened his eyes again, his body trembling in fear. _I can't be dead! _He could see Matt putting an arm around Near's shoulders and turn his head to tell him something. While he did that, Mello noticed Matt's tear-stained profile. He shuddered and took one step forward, his eyes widened in great disbelief. _No… no… _Mello took a few more, bold steps forward. He saw Near's shoulders drop, even more than they already were, as Matt finished whatever he was saying. Near lifted his left hand and placed it on the casket's rim. _Oh, Near…_ Mello glanced away as he walked the remainder of the way to his brothers. _I already know who it is…_When he was close enough, he forced himself to look into the open casket. Upon doing so, Mello stumbled back in shock, catching his breath in his throat.

Mello knew that he would be the one lying there, though he didn't want to believe it, but his face looked so different… burned. On the left side of his face, there was a gruesome looking burn! _T-The explosion… it burned and killed me. _He shook his head, feeling it spin within. _No, no, _no_!__ I'm not dead! I can't be! This… This… _He looked more closely at his body's shell, feeling his stomach tightening and churning. He shakily put his hand up to his face, afraid to touch it. _This can't be what's happened! I-It has to be a nightmare. Yes, that has to be what's going on! _

"Mello."

_Near… _He sounded so pitifully sad. It pained Mello's heart to hear Near sound like that. Mello looked at Near from behind, seeing that the white-haired boy was now placing his hand that rested on the casket's rim towards his motionless body's scarred face. Mello leaned his head over Near's left shoulder, watching as his youngest brother's hand gently touch his corpse's hair. Near's fingertips trailed down to his brother's right-side cheek and then placed his palm there. Mello looked at the gesture with regretful eyes as he glanced to look at Near's face. Depression and sadness was what swathed the poor boy's expression and eyes. He looked as if he were desperately trying to fight back tears. Mello wanted so badly to hug him, both of them, and tell them he was all right… but… from the way everything appeared to be…

"Mello," Near strained his soft speech once more "… We miss you… and… we love you…" he bit his lower lip, as tears began to swell at his eye ducts. "I never… really told you those words exactly before, but… I love you." He then clenched his eyes shut and slowly removed his quivering hand from the body's face.

_Oh my God… _Mello's lips began to tremble, as well as his eyes. _What is this… _His lungs suppressed the throbbing screams that wanted to rip out of his throat. His body tremored so much that he felt he could burst into tears at any moment. This… This was just too much!

Matt held Near more closely to his body, and he, too, tried to hold back more tears. The two boys backed away, fazing directly through Mello's form, and turned around.

_This is wrong… _Mello turned around once his brothers had walked through him, _This is all wrong! _He saw two, solemn men pass by Near and Matt once he was looking in the opposite direction. He quickly flipped his gaze back to his body's casket. One of the two men was shutting his casket's lid… His blue eyes widened and his breath subdued in the realization that it was over for him. _No… No, _stop_! This is too fast!_ Once his coffin's lid closed, and its small echo sounded, Mello heard a choked sob from behind. He immediately turned his full body around, just to see Near collapse to his knees, gripping Matt's arm. His other hand pressed against the side of his head, and he curled over his knees.

"Near!" Matt cried out. He instantly dropped to his knees and tightly huddled Near's shivering body into his chest. He held his arms firmly around Near's back, as he, too, began to shed more tears.

L and Matsuda rose from their seats and quickly headed towards the weeping boys while Mello stood there, dismayed by it all. His chest ached so much from seeing how broken his family was. He never saw his brothers cry, not ever! _Near… Matt… _He shakily walked over to them, hovering above them. He got down to the floor, as L and Matsuda already had, desperately longing for the chance to touch them.

"H-He didn't keep it," Near wept into the brunette's shoulder, "He didn't keep it."

This caused Mello to freeze thoroughly. He knew exactly what Near was talking about… "Stop!" he cried out, frantically looking above and around him This was more than enough. He didn't want to see or hear any more of this! "Please, stop this! _Please!_"

Matt, understanding, comfortingly placed his hand on the back of Near's head. He soothingly stroked the younger boy's white hair and rested his head against Near's. L and Matsuda watched them with saddened eyes.

"He didn't keep it, Matt," Near tearfully muttered, once again. He tightly held onto Matt's shirt, burying his face into his brother's shoulder. "Mello said he would keep that promise…" his voice began to shake more, and it rose in octave, "We need him, Matt!"

Mello mechanically shook his head as Near's soft, haunting cry resounded through his ears. He clutched his chest, desperately wishing for the pain to go away. "God, Near," he whispered, "I'm _so _sorry…" his tone increased with a ragged tone, "I'm sorry, Near! I'm sorry I didn't keep it! I wanted to, so much…" Mello tried reaching out to him, just once, but his hand fazed right through the pale boy. He shakily brought that hand up to his face and pressed it over his eyes. His eyes unconsciously began to shed tears. "Near, Matt, L… I'm _so _sorry!" He removed his hand and looked up at the beige ceiling. "You, whoever brought me here, please end this! It hurts… This _hurts_!" Mello's throat burned the more he screamed up into the air. Was no one listening to him? He could only hear the afflicting sounds of his family's weeping… Was he a doomed spirit, truly dead with no way to rest, or was this all a horrible nightmare disguised as a realistically tragic conclusion? _Please… _he closed his eyes, dropped his head towards the floor, and grasped its sides tightly with his hands. _If I'm dead… just end it. I can't take seeing them like this. No more…_

"Mihael."

_That voice! _He opened his eyes and raised his gaze. The room was now even darker and void of any people. L, Near, Matt, all of them were gone. _Where are they…?_

"Mihael," the empowering voice repeated.

_Behind me! _Mello quickly turned around, only to see the shadow of his body's sealed casket. No one was there. He shuddered instantly, goose bumps traveling over his skin's surface.

"Know this," the voice evenly spoke, "the image you see before you, now, would have been your fate."

_Would have been… _His body filled with chilling relief. _T-Then that means I'm not-_

A warm glow began to shine and engulf him from behind. The desolate funeral home quickly disappeared, and a luminous radiance replaced it. Mello's aching chest, burning throat, overwhelming horror… It was gone. He only felt the comfort of true purity, in the form of this light. Soon enough, Mello could feel a gentle wind begin to carry his body aloft. His eyes closed as the soothing feel of it all coaxed him into a numbing peace. Whatever was happening now couldn't possibly be something of sorrow. As Mello was drifting off, he could hear that holy voice speak one last time.

"You are not finished. Safeguard and prepare yourself."

_From… what?_

* * *

**Allow me to shed a little understanding for anyone who needs it, with a few of the things I've written here. This voice, the angel speaking to Mello, is talking of good and bad intentions on Mello's part. He wanted to save his family from death, but, at the same time, he desires Vince's death; he wants Vince to die by his hands. It's normal, isn't it? To want revenge on someone who has done you wrong? The vengeance Mello longs for has only hurt his family in the end, because he wound up getting himself very hurt (almost to the point of death) in the process of his personal mission. Could he help going there, to the warehouse? No, he absolutely couldn't, because of Vince's threat. All that the angel is referring to is how shrouded Mello's heart was during his mission. There were true, pure intentions, however reckless they were, but it was the darkness of revenge that was poisoning Mello. His head was so clouded with Vince's demise that he could not focus on what he originally came for-to save his brothers. I hope that is an understandable explanation.**

**As for this vision, it was truly not a dream but an actual presentation to Mello. Like the angel said towards the end of the chapter, this _would _have been Mello's fate if not for a miracle. He is not meant to die yet, for he has not finished what he has been fated to do (and that is to protect his family). The words "Safeguard and prepare yourself" should be taken as a forewarning. You shall all see what the meaning of this will be in due time. **

**One more thing. As for Near here, he expresses his love for Mello in this way because of this: He is very reserved with his emotions, but, with Mello and Matt, he is able to feel and express the better traits of himself. He has been with them as brothers for two years now, in this story's time, and has grown to love them as such. In this vision, he has lost Mello. I can't imagine Near to be the type of person to express love with words for someone, but, here, it is his last chance to truly say what he has felt, even if he cannot be heard. I imagine that if he was with others he truly loved dearly, he would not be able to keep himself stable for long (I think there would be too much bottled up, by that point).**

**Thank you all for reading this, and I hope my writing was well done and understood. I also hope all of the emotions I wanted to portray hit their marks, as well. In the next installment, Mello will awaken to his present world... **


End file.
